


The Devil Within

by blacktithe



Series: Sam and Alex [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/M, Fanfiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-10
Updated: 2017-02-04
Packaged: 2018-05-19 11:50:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 42
Words: 195,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5966383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blacktithe/pseuds/blacktithe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam never expected to love again after Jessica, but when Bobby sends a young woman with special talents to help him and Dean on a hunt he never would have predicted the story that would unfold or how their destinies would intertwine. This story starts a little slow, but it will build over time. Just to be on the safe side, rated M for sexual content in later chapters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first piece of fanfiction I ever wrote and is not betad. It was originally posted on fanfiction.net, but it kept getting stolen. So I'm slowly moving it all over here. Hope you enjoy it.
> 
> I do not own Supernatural or any of the characters found there in. Alex and the Mayfair mythology are my own.

Spring 1987

A woman dressed in black slowly emerged from the shadows as she looked all around her. Convinced nobody was watching her, she decides to make a run for it. She started to step out of her hiding place but paused. The thought that they may be watching her crossed her mind. They could have followed her.

"Stupid lights," she said

With a snap of her fingers and flash of her eyes the lights went out. She took another quick look and dashed across the darkened street to the empty house she had been hiding in, completely unaware of the two men in the Impala watching her from the shadows.

********

Bobby Singer sat it the passenger set next to his good friend John Winchester waiting for the woman to appear. It had been almost an hour since either of them had said a word. Not even the car was making noise. The engine had long since been turned off to help keep their place of vigil a secret.

"You sure this is the right place?" asked Bobby.

"I'm sure," replied John. "Look."

John pointed to a shape moving in the shadows. Bobby leaned forward slightly and squinted to see what his partner was looking at. His eyes do not pick up the shape in the shadows at first. That is of course until her eyes flashed amber and the street lights extinguished.

"Well I'll be damned. You sure we've got everything we need, John? Demons aren't exactly a cake walk you know."

"I don't think she's a demon Bobby. I think she's a witch."

"She'd have to of made a deal with one hell of a demon to be causing this kind of a ruckus. Weather changing every five second, people falling over dead for no reason. ...This ain't no burn a little sage and ask for something nice kinda magic. No hunter should go in there alone."

"I know Bobby. That's why I brought you with me."

John checked to make sure his gun was fully loaded and reaches for the door handle. Bobby follows shortly after and the two hunters carefully made their way up to the house, silently praying the woman they just saw go inside didn't hear them before they can put their plan into motion.

They moved soundlessly as they made their way around to the back of the house without being seen. A quick glance through the window revealed a small speck of light coming from a room deep inside of the house. John motioned to Bobby to move to the other side of the door before he slowly turns the nob. He pushed the door carefully to make sure there was no sound to give them away. Humming could be heard from the same room that held the flickering light. No sound was made by their footfalls as they approached the room. John quickly darted across to the far side of the door. As he peared into the room, he discovered a woman in black standing in what appears to be a kitchen. The only light in the room came from the lite candles that are scattered throughout. John nodded to Bobby, signaling that it was time for them to move into the room, but the woman in black quickly lifted her head as if she has heard a sound.

"Come on in boys," she said as she slowly turned from the stove.

The two hunters exchanged slightly worried looks as they heard her say, "There is no need to by shy. Just drop those guns before you come in will you." John and Bobby lowered their weapons and walked into the room. A sinister smile appears on the woman's face when she laid eyes on the pair. No emotion could be seen on John's face. He appeared completely calm.

"So," she said. "I take it you're here to get rid of me?"

Bobby was the first to speak up, "That's the plan."

"Well I hate to break it to you boys, but you don't stand a chance. I've faced hunters like you before. It always ends the same. You come in, tell me how horrible all of the things I'm doing are, and try to hold be back while you destroy the center of my power. I can promise you. You won't find it here.

"Ok," said John in a disinterested tone. "Then what do we do now?"

"You die."

Her hand shot forward as her eyes flashed gold. The candle flames quickly grow and rushed towards John and Bobby. They jumped out of the way just before the flames could reach them. The witch threw her head back and laughed maniacally. Flames rushed towards them again. This time John hit one of the cabinets, knocking things to the ground. All of the woman's attention was turned to Bobby, trapped in a corner. John quickly looked around him as idea began to form in his mind.

"Hey," John shouted.

The witch turned her amber eyes to him with flame in hand before being struck with an empty storage container. While the container was empty, it was just enough of a distraction for Bobby to scurry out of the corner and for her to lose focus. Her eyes returned to their natural color and the control she had over the large flames came to an end. John sprinted to join Bobby at the door leading from the room. When he turned to retrieve their weapons he saw that the room was completely engulfed in flames, and the woman they had come to hunt was trapped behind them screaming.

"Come on," said Bobby as he pulled on John's arm. "We need to get out of here before this whole place goes up."

John turned to follow him but was stopped by a sudden noise.

"Wait," he grabbed Bobby's arm. "Did you hear that?"

The sound was heard again, only louder. Both hunters followed the sound to discover a small child crying in another room. Her knees were drawn up to her chest to hide her face in them. Bobby moved quickly towards her and scooped her up in his arms while the woman in the kitchen screamed in agony.

*******

Firefighters worked to keep the fire contained to the "empty" home in hopes that it wouldn't spread to any others. Bobby placed the little girl on the trunk of the Impala as she cried for her mother. John looked over at the child and a small pang went through his heart.

"She can't be any older than Sam," he said.

"I know. She's gunna need someone to take care of her."

She looked up at Bobby with her big tear-filled eyes, making his heart break for her. The tears were slowly stopping when he gave her a weak smile before he spoke. "No child deserves to lose their mother like that."

"She was a monster," John said.

A stunned expression crossed Bobby's face. He left the little girl to talk to his partner alone.

"What the hell's gotten into you Winchester? I'd think you of all people should know what losing someone like that does to a person."

A sigh escaped John's lips as he wiped a hand down his face. "I'm not saying that this little girl should have to go through this, but that woman in there was starting to cause as much death and destruction as the plagues of Egypt. I didn't want her dead, but what's done is done."

"Well now what do we do with the little one?"

Both men looked over at the little girl on the back of the Impala. Her wide blue-gray eyes stared back at them full of trust.

"We'll take her to that orphanage we saw on the way into town," said John. "She'll grow up not even remembering this."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Supernatural or any characters found there in. Alex and the Mayfair mythology are my own.

Summer 1996

The wind gently rustled the branches on the trees as birds sing out into the warm are. 'It's a beautiful day,' thought Bobby as he sat outside the Mathis Home for Children. 'It's been a long time since I've seen this place. Never thought I'd be back here.' 

It was true. When he and John had brought a little girl here years before, he never planned on coming back. It wasn't his problem. The girl was none of his kin. They would find her a good home and everything would be ok, or so he thought at the time. For some reason he couldn't help but keep tabs on the little girl over the years.

He started to follow what was happening when he heard about a string of sudden storms in the area surrounding the orphanage. Then there were earthquakes near the homes of foster families that took in children from the very same orphanage. They all started and stopped suddenly with no rhyme or reason. That's what got Bobby's attention. Upon further investigation he discovered that the incidents followed the little girl he and John had placed on the doorstep years before. The only common denominator in the entire string of bizarre cases was that she was there and upset when they all happened. The rains came when the girl was crying so hard she could not stop. Earthquakes happened when she was mad. Nobody had been hurt yet, and Bobby Singer wanted to make sure that it stayed that way.

Bobby snapped to attention when the person he's been waiting for walked around the corner. A young girl, no more than 13 came into view. She held her school books tightly to her chest as she slowly walked alone down the sidewalk, eyes focused on her feet. Her long wavy brown hair partially hid her face from Bobby as he took a deep breath before approaching her.

"Hey," he said as he walked up to the girl.

She suddenly looked very terrified and made as if she was going to run.

"Hold on. Hold on. I ain't gunna hurt ya. I want to help you." She looked at him warily. "You're the one causing all the crazy weather and natural disasters aren't you?"

"What?" she asks. Nobody had ever talked to her about that before. Sure most of her foster families sent her way when things started to happen. They all felt that it was too weird. Sending her back to the orphanage was the most reasonable thing to do, but nobody there wanted her either. Too many strange things happened around her. "How do you know that?"

"My name's Bobby. I want to help you control all of this crap before somebody gets hurt."

The girl narrowed her eyes and studied him.

"You can help me?"

"No, but I think I know someone who can."

"Who?"

"A friend of mine. She's one hell of a psychic. If anyone can teach you how to keep these outbursts under wraps it's her. What do you say kid?"

A thoughtful expression formed on her face as she pondered what the bearded man in front of her proposed. It was true that very unusual things tended to happen around her when she was upset. People were afraid of her, acting like they thought she would do something to them at any moment. After a long pause she finally answered.

"Okay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one was so short. The boys show up in the next chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Supernatural of any of the characters found there in. Alex and the Mayfair mythology are my own.

October 2006

Sam was looking through his father's journal for clues as to what they should do while Dean drove them down the dark highway. Both boys were wondering what they can do to put Angela to rest for good.

"So the silver bullets, they did something right?" asked Sam

"Yeah," Dean replied, "something, but not enough. What else you got?"

Sam looked at the journal for a second more before turning his head to look at his brother.

"I don't know. Dad's journal doesn't really say anything. There is a mention about nailing them back into their grave beds, but right here it says it doesn't work with really powerful necromancy."

"Okay. So treating her like Count Dracula won't work. What do we do now?"

"I don't know Dean. I think we should call Bobby."

******

The TV flickered, casting the living room in a dim glow while Bobby Singer took another swig from the beer bottle in his hand. His head drooped slightly as the relentless droning of the news reporter continued on. Sleep was just about to overcome him when the shrill sound of a phone ringing startled him. Slowly he began to move into the other room to answer the phone, a soft "ah hell" escaping his lips as he does so.

"Yeah," he answered.

"Hey Bobby, its Sam."

A small smile formed on the older man's face when he hears the voice on the other line.

"It's good to hear your voice son."

Sam chuckled into the phone, "Yeah it's good to hear you too Bobby. . . uh, Dean and I are on a hunt and we could really use some help."

Figures, thought Bobby. Everybody always needs help with something. "Okay, what's going on?"

"Well, it looks like a guy used an ancient Greek spell to raise a girl from the dead and now she's killing people."

"You try silver bullets?"

Sam sighed a little when he answered. "Yeah, but they only slow her down a little. There are a couple of mentions of nailing them back into the graves but it also says that it doesn't work on really powerful spells. Considering every living plant around this girl dies on the spot… I think we're dealing with some pretty powerful stuff."

While Sam is explaining all of this to him, the old hunter was searching through his expansive collection of books. He nodded. A grunt escaped his throat as he listens to the boy's tale. Finally he came across the book he was looking for and quickly turned the pages searching for the information he needed.

"Sounds like you boys have got one hell of a zombie on your hands," Bobby grunted into the phone.

"Yeah," Sam replied. "Any ideas how we can stop this thing?"

Bobby turned one more page then stoped.

"There's a spell that ought to do the job. It's no cake walk though. It ain't like some exorcism where you can just read the words and everything works. You've got to have the right components and some serious fire power to pull it off."

Worry filled Sam's mind as he replied. "Bobby, do you really think Dean and I can pull something like that off?"

"Ah hell no," he replied. "You boys 'id find a way to screw it up and turn yourselves into the same damn thing. I think I know somebody that might be able to help you out though. Where are you boys at?"

"Lawrence."

"Alright. There's a pretty good hunter that just finished working a case near Columbus," Bobby stopped to look at a map and think for a moment, " should be able to be there in a few hours the way that kid drives. I'll give Alex a call. If anybody can handle it, its gunna be that pain in the ass."

Gratitude filled Sam's voice. "Ok thanks Bobby."

******

Dean was lounging on the queen sized bed closest to the door flipping through the channels while Sam typed away on his laptop. It'd been almost two hours since Sam's phone conversation with Bobby. The fact that they were having to wait for reinforcements was making Dean crazy. 

"I can't believe we've got to just sit around and wait." Dean finally blurted our when the strain of waiting became too much for him. "I don't get why we can't just take care of the zombie ourselves instead of waiting for this Alex guy to show up. How the hell is he supposed to be able to do this crap if we can't?"

An exasperated sigh escaped Sam's lips. This isn't the first time tonight he's heard Dean mention something about having to sit back and wait.

"I don't know Dean. All I know is what Bobby said. Apparently this guy's got some experience with magic or something. I don't know."

Dean turned off the TV with the remote before tossing it onto the bed next to him. His frustration mounted to explosive levels. Another outburst was on his lips when a knock on the door caught the Winchesters' attention. The boys exchanged quick looks before arming themselves. Sam started to move for the door, but Dean quietly raised a hand to stop his younger brother from moving. Holding his gun at the ready, Dean looked through the peephole to see who was on the other side. He quickly drew back, brow knit in confusion. Sam noticed his brother's odd expression. "Who's at the door?" Ignoring his brothers question, Dean placed the gun in the waistband of his jeans near the small of his back and opened the door.

When the door swung wide it revealed a young woman holding a duffel bag over her right shoulder. A small smile played at the corners of her mouth as she looked into the face of the man in front of her. Dean quickly assumed his usually cocky grin and confident swagger, looking the curvy woman up and down before speaking.

"Hey sweetheart. What can I do for ya?"

The girl did not even appear fazed as she answered, "Bobby sent me." She looked past Dean to Sam, who had moved from his chair and walked towards the door, curious who his brother was talking to. "You two must me the Winchesters. Am I right?"

Both the boys were shocked and raised their eyebrows in surprise. Sam was the first to speak.

"You… you're Alex?"

"Yeah," she replied as she placed the duffel on the ground next to her so that she could extend her hand in greeting. "I'm Alexandra Thomas, but I go by Alex. Bobby called and said you guys needed some help."

"Uh... yeah. Hi. Sorry. I'm Sam," he said as he shook the woman's hand before gesturing to his brother, "and this is my brother Dean."

Dean smiled as he took her hand. "Hi."

Looking back and forth between the two, Alex cannot help but sense that there was far more going on between the two brothers than just another hunt. There was a tension between them that she cannot quite place. Pushing her suspicions aside she asked if she could come in. Embarrassed by the fact that he had forgotten to invite her in, Sam quickly mumbled an apology as Dean moved aside to allow her farther into the room.

As she entered, she placed her duffel on the bed previously occupied by Dean and said, "So, I understand that you two have yourself a necromanced zombie."

"Yeah, pretty much," said Dean.

"Um," Sam replied, "Bobby said you could work some sort of crazy spell that is supposed to put her back in her grave or something?"

"Actually, we have to put her back in her grave first. Then I can do the crazy spell."

"What?" the boys asked in unison.

A small grin appeared on Alex's face as she gazed at the two brothers.

"Trust me. If you two can find a way to get her into her grave, I can keep her there."

******

Candles illuminated the area around Angela's grave as Alex quickly works to prepare the ritual needed to put the poor girl to rest. She could hear Sam and Dean approaching before they came into view.

"You really thing this is going it work?" Sam asked.

Alex stops her work momentarily to stand.

"Of course. As long as we can get her into the grave, then everything thing will be fine."

"And how exactly are we supposed to do that?" Dean asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Alex reached into her duffel bag to pull out a small leather container. She started pouring the strong smelling powder in a circle around the grave as she responded. "Like I said that is your territory. I'm just here to..." She stopped suddenly when they heard a nose coming from some trees nearby. Sam pulled his gun from the small of his back and began making his way towards the source of the noise until he came across Angela.

"Wait!" she cried. "It's not what you thing. I didn't ask to be brought back. But it's still me. I'm still a person. Please."

Sam ignored her pleading and fired a shot into the middle of her forehead, snapping her head back. He started to run back towards the grave but was tackled hard from behind. Angela made as if to break his neck when Dean began to fire. Each shot drove her farther back until she fell into the open grave. Dean quickly leapt into the coffin and drove a silver stake into the center of her chest. At the sound of the stake perching Angela's flesh, Alex emerged from behind the headstone with an old leather volume and started speaking in a strange language. Angela's body started to convulse violently as Dean scrambled from the grave. A violent scream erupted from the soul nailed to the coffin. Alex did not appeared to be bothered as she showered the writhing body with some sort of liquid and all commotion suddenly stoped.

"What's dead should stay dead," said Dean.

Alex shut the book with a sense of finality and moved to help Sam to his feet.

The three hunters finished filling the grave and gathered their materials. As they started to move towards the Impala Alex cannot help but noticed the look of pain on Sam's face.

"Hey Sam, are you okay?"

He glanced over at Alex and tried to hide his discomfort.

"Yeah. I think she broke my hand."

Dean laughed. "You're just too fragile. We'll get it looked at later."

Alex placed her things on the ground and moved in front of Sam.

"Does it hurt a lot?" she asked as she slowly took his hand.

"A bit."

"Here, let me."

Alex did her best to encompass Sam's large hand in her smaller ones. She closed her eyes and breathed in and out very slowly as she concentrated. A small expression of pain briefly crossed her face before she opened her eyes and lifted them to Sam's face.

"There. Is that better?"

Bewildered, Sam began to clench and unclench his hand. All of the pain was gone. It was as if nothing was ever wrong.

"Ye... yea... yeah. What did you do?

"Oh just a little trick I know," she said with a smile. "You'll still want to get that looked at though. Just because it doesn't hurt anymore doesn't mean it's not broken."

Alex picked her things back up and resumed her walk towards the Impala. The boys followed behind in stunned silence. Dean decided that he needed to talk to Bobby about tat girl just as soon as they got to Sioux Falls.

******

After nearly an hour of driving Dean suddenly pulled the Impala over on the side of the highway and stopped the engine. He got out of the car without saying a word. Sam looked to Alex in the back seat. She just shook her head to indicate that she didn't know what was going on. The two followed Dean out of the car as Sam spoke up.

"Dean what is it?"

By this point Dean was leaning against the hood of the car. Sam moved to sit next to him, but Alex hung back with the feeling that this was something between the two brothers.

"I'm sorry," Dean said after a moment of silence

Sam was surprised.

"You... for what?"

"The way I've been acting. And for Dad. He was your dad too. And it's my fault he's gone."

"What are you talking about?"

As Alex listened to Dean talk about the mysterious circumstances surrounding their father's death and his miraculous recovery, she suddenly understood what the tension in the room when she met the Winchesters had all been about. 'Dean thinks it is all his fault,' she thought. 'Why would he think he doesn't deserve to live?'

A tear began to fall down Dean's cheek as she slowly moved around the back of the Impala to get closer to Dean without disturbing the moment between the brothers.

"So tell me," continued Dean. "What could you possibly say to make that all right?"

He suddenly felt a hand reaching for his as he finished his last sentence. He turned to find Alex standing next to him with her hand upon his. She moved around to face him directly and took his head into her hands. Their eyes lock for a moment. Nobody moved or said a word. It only lasted a few seconds but, Dean could almost feel her looking into his soul.

"You listen to me Dean Winchester," she said. "Whatever choices your father has made are not your fault. You had no control over his decision. You are alive for a reason. You have one hell of a destiny, Dean. You just don't know it yet."

Alex slowly removed her hands from around Dean's face as he sat their dumbfounded. He suddenly felt much better. It was as if she had pulled the sorrow from his soul and given him the exact words he needed to hear. She wiped a falling tear from Dean's face and turned her head to look at Sam. A small tear was now sliding down her cheek as she reached for Sam's hand, providing him with the same feeling of comfort that Dean now held. Their mourning was far from over, but things were more bearable for the time being.

'Who is this girl,' Sam thought to himself. 'Why do I feel like she's important somehow?'

Without saying another word the three slowly made their way back into the Impala. Each lost in their own thoughts. Each with their own questions for Bobby swirling in their heads as they continued on their journey.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Supernatural or any of the characters found there in. Alex and the Mayfair mythology are my own.

Dean drove well into the night. There were no stops for anything other than to put more fuel in his baby. Bobby's place finally came into view and a little grin formed on Dean's face. He glanced over at Sam in the passenger seat. He was leaning on the window fast asleep. A quick slap to the chest changed all of that.

"Rise and shine," said Dean as his slap startled the younger Winchester awake.

After a few rapid blinks Sam notice their location. He looked to the back seat and saw Alex curled up on the back seat fast asleep. The ear buds to her iPod still firmly in place to drown out his brothers Led Zeppelin. 'She looks so beautiful,' thought Sam as he placed a hand on her leg and began to lightly shake her.

"Hey Alex, we're here."

She slowly stirred from her slumber. For a brief moment she didn't know where she was. Then she saw Sam, a gentle smile graced her soft features.

"Thanks."

"No problem," he said with a smile before turning around to face the front.

Alex sat up and couldn't help but smile when she looked around at the old junkyard that she had called home off and on for the past several years. No matter where she went or how long she was gone, she knew she would always be welcome in that place.

"Hey Bobby," Dean said as the bearded old hunter opened the door.

"Hello boys," he replied as he moved to the side to let them in.

As the boys begin to move past him he notices the brunette standing behind them with a duffel bag thrown over her shoulder. A smile spreads across her features when a look of recognition crossed his face.

"Hi Bobby," she said with a smile.

The man returned the smile as he reached for the young woman.

"Get over here you."

Bobby pulled Alex into a giant hug.

"How are you doin' baby girl?"

"Great. Yourself?" she asked as she pulled away and surveyed the space around her. Books and dishes were piled everywhere. "Still not cleaning house I see."

That elicited small chuckles from the boys. Never in their lives had they known Bobby's house to be clean or organized. It may look like complete chaos, but Bobby liked it that way. He knew where everything was.

Alex dropped her duffel and spun in a circle, continuing to take in the mess around her as she shook her head. Everyone's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Dean's stomach growling in hunger.

"Man I'm starving," said the hunter with the talking stomach.

"What else is new?" asked Sam with a grin.

"When's the last time any of you boys had a home cooked meal?" asked Alex.

A quick look at the men told her that none of them could remember. Another look at the bits of food left on some of the plates around the home told her that Bobby was probably living off of sandwiches and pasta, again. 'Well, I guess I know what I'm doing this evening,' she thought. 'There's no way these chuckle-heads can cook.'

******

Everyone was sitting around the table in Bobby's kitchen enjoying what was probably the best meal any of them had had in ages. Not a single word had been spoken since Alex let the men know that dinner was ready. She had spent the last hour in the kitchen preparing the meal. She looked at the three men sitting at the table with her to ascertain their thoughts on how she did. Bobby always loved it when she cooked. There was never any doubt in her mind on that fact. The boys on the other hand had never had her cooking before. She was pretty sure that Dean was pleased. He was currently shoveling his second helping of mashed potatoes into his mouth with bits of his chicken-fried steak that he had drowned in gravy. 'Guess that means he's happy.' That left only Sam. Alex looked at the younger Winchester as he ate. He did not inhale his food like Dean nor did he have a smile on his face as he chewed. 'I wonder if he likes it.'

At that moment Sam looked up to see Alex studying him.

"This is really good," he said.

"You're still the best cook I've ever had in my kitchen," chimed Bobby.

Dean gave a grunt of approval as he continued to eat every scrap of food placed before him.

A blush appeared on her cheeks as she spoke. "Thanks guys. Everyone done, or are you planning on licking your plate clean there Dean?"

Everyone began to laugh. He quickly looked up at the woman next to him, annoyance at the joke made at his expense evident on his face. "I'm good. Thanks," he said with a mouth full of food.

"Guess I'll start cleaning up then," said Alex as she stood. She began reaching for Sam's plate but was stopped by a hand grasping her wrist.

"We'll get it," said Sam.

"We will?" Dean replied.

"Yes," Sam continued. "Alex you're the one who did all the cooking. I think we can handle the dishes."

"Thanks," she said with a smile. "I think I'll go outside for a while then."

As soon as she closed the door behind her, Dean was finally able to ask the question that had been plaguing him all night. Sam began to gather the dishes and place them in the sink when he heard his brother speak.

"Alright Bobby, spill it."

"Spill what?" Bobby replied.

"Who is that girl? How do you know her, and why the hell was she able to pull off that spell when you said it would make Sam and me wish we had never been born?"

"She did make it look pretty easy Bobby," Sam said as he washed the dishes in the sink.

A small sigh escaped Bobby's lips. His shoulders slumped, and his eyes transfixed on an invisible spot on the table in front of him. He never looked up as he recounted the story of the hunt with their father and the little girl they found. He told them about taking her to the orphanage and the strange things that kept happening around her.

"I went and got her," he said. "Took her to a psychic named Pamela. I figured she'd be able to help her get control of herself. After a while she was able to keep her emotions in check and the disasters to a minimum. Pamela told me she'd never seen anyone that powerful. Said she was a hell of a lot more that just a psychic. The only explanation I've been able to come up with is that her mother must have already been into some serious dealings with whatever demon gave her power by the time she was pregnant with Alex. After a while she came to stay with me. The only way I could get her out of that orphanage was to become her legal guardian. Once she moved in she just started to pick up on the things that were going on. The phone ringing at all hours, and me pretending to be anybody but who I was. The devil's traps all over the house. She kept asking me about it until I told her. Once she knew she said she wanted to do what I did. Eventually I agreed to train her. Girl's turned into one hell of a hunter if you ask me."

He finally looked up from the table. Dean was staring him down with one eyebrow raised while Sam just looked on in stunned silence.

"You mean to tell me," said Dean, "that her mom was some sort of demon loving psycho bitch, and Alex can handle all of this magic stuff because of it?"

Bobby only nodded. "As far as I can tell. Alex doesn't know about any of this, and I want you boys to keep it that way. Understood?"

Both boys nodded.

"Okay Bobby," said Dean.

Sam said nothing. He only dried his hands and went outside to find the object of their conversation.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Supernatural or any of the characters there in. Alex and the Mayfair mythology are my own.

The first thing Sam noticed when he went out the back door was how quiet it was. Silence was usually a bad thing in his line of work, but tonight it was peaceful. He looked to the stars as he took a deep breath to clear his head. When he lowered his eyes he saw Alex a few yards away leaning back on the hood of a beat up old Ford just looking at the sky.

Sam slowly made his way to the abandoned vehicle contemplating what he was going to say, but Alex beat him to it.

"Hey stranger," she said without turning to look at him.

A chuckle passed Sam's lips. "Hi."

Alex finally looked over when Sam didn't continue.

"So what brings you out here?" she asked.

"I was a… looking for you actually. Bobby told us about how he took you in."

"I see," Alex said with a nod before turning her eyes back to the stars, "and you came to ask me my side?"

Sam sat on the hood of the car next to her. "No... I was just wondering why you would agree to go with Bobby. I mean… you didn't even know the guy."

Alex grinned as she sat up and turned to face Sam.

"His eyes," she said.

A look of utter confusion appeared on Sam's face.

"Walk with me?"

They had been walking the junkyard in silence for several minutes before Alex spoke.

"How much did Bobby tell you about what I can do?"

"Not much. Just that you're a really powerful psychic or something."

Alex looked at her feet as she spoke. "Yeah something like that. I don't read minds or see the future per say, but there are a lot of things I can do that apparently most psychics can't."

"Like what?"

"You've already seen me do some of it. I can change what people are feeling when I touch them." She chanced a glance at Sam through the corner of her eye. He stopped walking

"That's what you did with my arm right?" he asked.

"Yes, we still need to get that looked at by the way.

"I'll go tomorrow. Promise."

Alex nodded in satisfaction before continuing to speak.

"The thing is… it's not just that I change the feeling, I… I take it into myself."

Alex slowly looked into Sam's face to gauge his reaction. It took him a moment, but he finally realized what she was talking about.

"Dean..." he said. "When we were talking yesterday, you… you calmed us both down and… and you started to cry. Did you…?"

Alex looked at her feet and nodded. "Yeah. I just didn't want to see you guys in that much pain."

She looked back up at Sam. He was floored. 'Why would anyone be willing to do that for someone they barely know?' he asked himself. Alex continued as she started walking again, Sam following a half step behind.

"It used to happen all the time. When I was younger, I couldn't control it. Any time somebody touched me I'd feel what they did. I thought I was going crazy. Bouncing back and forth from happy to sad, excited to afraid all in just a few seconds… it was a lot to take. When I figured out what was going on I started avoiding people. I didn't want anyone to bump me in the hall at school or give me a hug when they saw me. Everyone thought I was just a loner. Mrs. Thomas was the only one who never thought of me that way."

"Who's Mrs. Thomas?" Sam asked.

"She was this sweet old lady that used to come read us stories at the orphanage. She was the only person that didn't look at me like I was some weirdo dropped on a doorstep. To her I was just sweet little Alexandra. I used to imagine she was my grandmother or something, so when people asked me who I was I said my name was Alex Thomas."

Sam smiled. "I'm glad you had someone you could go to like that."

Alex smile back at him in thanks, and they walked on in silence for a while longer.

"Earlier," Alex began again, "when I said it was Bobby's eyes that made me want to go with him… you looked confused."

Sam was surprised when she spoke. After so much silence between them, it took him a moment to realize what she had said.

"Yeah," he finally responded. "How could the look in a complete strangers eyes make it okay to leave with them?"

"It wasn't the look I saw in his eyes. It was what I saw behind them."

Alex had stopped again. This time she leaned on what appeared to be the trunk of some sort of rusted old car. Sam sensed her hesitation and moved to sit on the rust bucket with her in hopes of getting her to continue. When the silence continued, he feared she wouldn't reveal anymore. Then she spoke.

"When I look into someone's eyes… it's like… it's almost as if… I can see their soul o-or something. I can see what they are thinking at that moment… their past… who they really are… if they are lying to me..." She looked over at Sam, wondering if he thought she was crazy. When he nodded for her to go on she said, "When I looked into Bobby's eyes I saw that he really wanted to help me. He was afraid for me. I knew then that he wouldn't hurt me."

"Does that happen every time?"

"Every time I look someone in the eye?"

Sam nodded.

"No. It used to, but now I have to want it to happen. Like with you and Dean." Sam raised his eyebrows. "When you first opened that motel door I used it to see if you could be trusted."

"And what did you decide?"

Alex just smiled. "I wouldn't be talking to you now if I didn't think I could trust you."

"Yeah," Sam chuckled. "I guess you're right."

They just looked at each other and smiled for a moment. There was a twinkle in Alex's eye that Sam couldn't help but notice. She was just so relaxed and happy. It had been years since she had been able to share these things with someone. Only her teacher and Bobby knew the true extent of her powers. Now Sam did as well. It pleased her to know that there was somebody out in the world that she could trust completely.

The couple looked at the stars in silence for a while. Each lost in their own thoughts. Sam was the first to break the silence.

"What else did you see?"

Alex's brows came together as she looked over at Sam, confused by his question.

"When you looked in my eyes," he said. "What else did you see?"

"I didn't. I stopped myself from going any farther."

Sam looked down for a moment, lost deep in thought. "You can look if you want to."

Alex was not sure she had heard him a first so she remained silent, making no move to indicate a response. She was unsure of what Sam was saying. He noticed her hesitation and timidly went on.

"You can look deeper if you want to. I… I don't mind."

He chanced a glance up at her.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

Sam only nodded in response as he looked away. Alex adjusted her position on the trunk so that her body was completely facing his. She reached up and placed her hands on either side of his face, bringing his eyes up to meet hers. As their eyes meet she took a deep breath and released the barriers in her mind. Images and feelings began to wash over her.

******  
(vision)  
A woman is pinned the ceiling, bleeding. A mobile appears on the edge of her vision.

A man steadies a gun in young boy's hands as he teaches him to shoot.

Two young boys alone in a motel room watching "Thundercats."

The same man is yelling not to return.

Sam unpacking his things after arriving at Stanford.

A beautiful blonde girl in a nurse's costume smiles up at Sam.

Nightmares.

The blonde is burning on the ceiling as Sam screams in agony.

Dean smiles at Sam after they finish another hunt.

Sam having a vision during the day for the first time. Pain shooting through his skull.

A yellow-eyed demon saying he has plans for Sam and the children like him while possessing his father.

A horrible car accident.

Dean lying in a hospital bed, unable to breathe on his own.

Sam finding his father on the floor of his hospital room. Panic washes over him as he calls for help.

A body burns on a pier.

Pain… guilt… sadness… loss…

******

Alex blinked and took in a deep breath. When she looked away briefly, severing the connection, Sam felt a sudden sense of loss. Alex's hands were still on either side of his face when she looked back up at him. A somewhat pained expression was on her face. That started to worry Sam. 'What did she see? What's wrong with me? Does she know what the yellow-eyed demon wants with me?'

"I'm sorry," Alex says. She brusheed a piece of hair away from Sam's face. "I'm sorry your mother and your girlfriend died. Nobody should have to go through that... You blame yourself, but you shouldn't."

Sam snaped his eyes to Alex's.

"It's not your fault." She continued. "You had no way of knowing your nightmares were true. Jessica's death is not your fault Sam. None of this is. If you had shot your father while he was possessed you'd blame yourself for him being dead even more so than you do now."

Alex's words perfectly mirrored what he felt in his heart. All of the pain and guilt washed over him as she spoke. She had seen the worst of him. Now she knew his secrets. Even as a tear began to slide down his cheek, Sam felt comforted. She knew it all and wasn't pulling away. Instead, she wiped the tear from is cheek with her thumb and pulled him into a tight embrace. Sam took comfort in her touch. Since Jessica he had not let anyone be this close to him. Not even Dean. He wasn't comfortable going there with his brother, but for some reason he was able to let Alex in.

As they began to pull apart, Alex placed a small kiss on Sam's cheek. He smiled back at her in gratitude for her kind words and the comfort she had allowed him to momentarily find in her arms. It was perhaps his first true smile in ages. Alex smiled in return as they stared at each other in comfortable silence for what felt like hours.

"We should probably head back," said Sam at last.

Alex slowly nodded in agreement as she continued to smile up at Sam. As the two got off of the car Sam reached over and placed Alex's small tender hand in his much larger uninjured one. They exchanged one last look before walking back to the house hand in hand.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Supernatural or any of the characters there in. Alex and the Mayfair mythology are mine own.

-One Week Later-

Having some time to just relax for a while was pure bliss. There was no talk of demons or evil spirits. Nothing that goes bump in the night was rearing it's ugly head. Life was as close to normal as a hunter could get. Then Sam stumbled upon a hunt in Texas. Alex was in her old room reading when he came up to tell her.

"So, I found a new gig."

"Oh?" Alex said as she sat up on her bed and marked her page. "What 'cha got?"

"Not really sure. A bunch of cattle keep turning up missing on this ranch down in Texas. There's no sign of anyone coming in to take them. They just keep disappearing."

"Sounds fun. Mind if I come along?"

Sam couldn't help but smile. He was hoping she would want to join him and his brother. He wasn't quite ready to say good-bye just yet.

"We leave in an hour."

"Great!"

Alex was full of joy and excitement as she got up off the bed to start packing her things. Sam's smile only grew as he watched her from the doorway for a few more seconds before leaving to tell Dean the good news.

******

Dean had just finished loading their things into the trunk of the Impala. After checking all the supplies and weapons twice, he walked back into the house to let everyone know it was time to go. Alex was standing at the bottom of the stairs with Bobby. The two were sharing a final hug before her departure.

"You take care of yourself now," Bobby said.

Alex smiled. "I always do." As she pulled away from Bobby she noticed Dean by the door. "Time to go?"

"Yeah. We're all loaded and ready. That is if you two are done with the warm and fuzzys."

Bobby pushed past Dean to go watch some TV. Dean wasn't sure, but he thought he heard Bobby mutter "idjit" under his breath as he passed by. Alex grinned as she turned to go up the stairs, calling down that she was going to go get Sam.

When she reached the top of the stairs she turned towards the bathroom. The sound of water running in the sink could be heard from behind the door. Alex knocked on the door quickly but heard no response. Frowning ever so slightly she knocked again, but there was only silence. Worry crept into her as she called out.

"Sam are you in there? It's time to go."

Still no response. Alex reached for the nob. Finding the door unlocked, she decided to chance opening it on the off chance that Sam didn't hear her. The thought that he may not be decent occurred to her for a second. A blush started to spread across her cheeks as the peeked around the door. All girlish thoughts and worries quickly left her mind when she saw Sam leaning on the bathroom sink for support as he clutched his head in what could only be pain.

"Sam?" she asked worriedly as she rushed to his side. "Sam what's wrong? Look at me. Look at me!"

As she spoke she worked to turn Sam's face towards her. When he started to turn his legs gave out underneath him. He groaned in pain as he slide to the floor, Alex following with him. She managed to place her hands on the sides of his head. His pain slowly started to subside. As the pain receded Sam looked up at Alex. Their eyes locked, and the flashes began.

******

(vision)

A kind looking black man answers a call on his cellphone. After hanging up he slowly walks into a nearby store. He walks to the gun counter and calmly selects and loads a gun before shooting the man behind the counter and himself while saying, "It's all gunna be okay."

******

Dean and Bobby hear Alex's panicked voice and rush up the stairs to find Alex and Sam sitting on the bathroom floor. Her hands are on either side of his head, their eyes glued together. Suddenly, Alex lets go of Sam's skull and falls back into the door momentarily clutching her head in pain.

It takes a moment for Sam's vision to clear. When it does he quickly looks around the room to see Dean and Bobby in the doorway. His eyes go wide for a split second when he sees Alex across from him holding her head.

"Oh God," he says quickly as he scrambles to her. "Are you okay?"

He lifts her chin with his fingers to look her in the eyes. As he moves a stray piece of hair from her face he notices a somewhat dazed look is in her eyes, but that is not what worries him. What worries him is the small trickle of blood coming from her right nostril.

She nods slowly and says, "Yeah. I'm okay," before whipping the blood from her nose with the back of her hand.

Dean and Bobby look on in confusion.

"Mind telling me what the hell is going on here?" Dean asked.

Once Sam and Alex had recounted what had happened, it was decided that the boys would go to check on the man in the vision, and Alex would go to Texas. Bobby gave her an old Junker she could use to pick up her bike in Kansas on the way south. Alex was just finishing moving her things to the other car when Sam came up behind her.

"So I guess this is it," he says.

Alex turned around with a smile, the wind causing a curl to fall from the clip in her hair.

"Yeah. I guess it is," she said.

There was an awkward silence for a moment. Sam gently pushed the wayward curl behind her ear before pulling Alex into a tight embrace. The two stood there just hugging for a few minutes, neither of them saying a word, just relishing in the feel of the hug and enjoying the moment.

Dean was leaning against the Impala watching the scene before him. He rolled his eyes as he spoke.

"Okay you too. That's enough with the chick flick moments. Come on Sam. It's time to go."

The two finally pulled apart as Alex kissed Sam on the cheek.

"You have my number," she said. "Call me if you all need any help. I'm only a phone call away."

Sam smiled. "Same here."

Alex looked over at Dean. They nodded a farewell as Sam moved to join his brother. After a moment Alex yelled after him.

"Hey Winchester, take care of yourself."

"You too," Sam answered with a smile that spread from ear to ear.

Alex stood in the yard and watched the Impala drive away. When she can no longer see it through the dust she turned back towards the house.

Bobby was standing in the kitchen making a sandwich when he heard the door. He turned to see Alex standing in the doorway.

"Thought you left same time the boys did," he said with a look of confusion on his face.

Alex looked him straight in the eye. There was no smile on her face, no hint of her usual spunk or playfulness. She is completely serious, and there is only one thing she wanted to know.

"Bobby, what do you know about the yellow-eyed demon?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback welcome.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Supernatural or any of the characters found there in. Alex and the Mayfair mythology are my own.

-November 2006-

Dean checked the clip of his gun before slamming it back into place. Turning to the door he pushed it open and looked upon a frantic Alex. She's tied to a chair, begging for her life.

"It's not in me!" she screamed over and over again.

Some of the other occupants in the room exchange weary glances at one another. A young man with a scar keeps insisting that they cannot know for sure, doubt slowly crept into their minds. Dean, however, showed no doubt. His eyes never left Alex. No remorse, no sympathy, nothing at all showed behind his eyes as he raised the gun and fired two shoots directly at Alex's chest.

******

"Alex!" Sam screams as he bolted upright from his position on the floor, the image of Alex's terror filled eyes still filling his memory. 'I've got to call her,' was all he can think as he heard the motel room door open. All Sam could think as he frantically searched for his cell phone was that he had to make sure she was alright.

Dean looked at his brother in confusion and asked, "Sammy, what are you doing?"

"Have you seen my phone?"

He finally saw it sitting next to the TV and rushed to it.

"Sam," Dean asked again, "what's going on?"

"I've got to call Alex."

******

Papers and books were scattered all across the table. A giant map was pinned to the wall. Alex was standing in front of the map, looking from the notes in her hand to the map and back again. The phone rang. She stopped what she was doing and turned to pick it up. When she saw the name on the caller ID she smiles.

"Sam," she said in a happy greeting.

"Hey, are you alright?" the panicked man on the other end of the line asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why? What's going on?"

Alex was confused by Sam's question, but things become clearer as she continued to listen. Sam told her about his vision. He told her about her being tied to a chair, the other people in the room, and even her desperate cries before the shots were fired. There was however one little detail that he spares her… Dean being the shooter.

"Wow," she said when he was done.

"Where are you?"

She looked back down at the papers in her hand before turning back to the map on the wall.

"Idaho, but I'm about to leave. I found a new hunt."

"Where? We'll join you."

Alex grabed a push pin from the table and pushed it into the map.

"A little town in Oregon called Rivergrove."

"We're on our way," Sam said before hanging up.

A subtle smile danced on her face as she placed the phone back on the table. One final look at her notes and she was sure she was right. 'I'm coming for you, you evil son of a bitch.'

******

"So what did Alex say she was hunting?" Dean asked as he continued to drive the Impala through the night towards their destination.

Sam didn't not look up from the map as he responded, "She didn't. She just said where she was headed."

Dean sighed as he beat the wheel.

"Then how do you know she needs our help?"

"In my vision," Sam begans with trepidation, "she was tied to a chair and…and you shot her."

Dean's eyes grew wide. He was so startled by what his brother has just said that he almost drove off the road. The Impala swerved wildly as Dean fought for control of the car. Quickly regaining control of his baby, he chanced a glance at his brother.

"Then why are we going Sam? If I'm supposed to shot Alex why in the hell are we running to help her on this hunt? Shouldn't you want me to stay away from her?"

Sam was looking at his feet when he replies, "I don't know. I just… maybe if we help her we can stop it from happening. I don't know why she was tied to that chair Dean, but what I do know is that I'll be damned if I let it happen."

******

Alex heard the Impala before she saw it. A smile spread across her face when she turned around. The boys parked the car across the street from the little café they agreed to meet Alex at. When Sam saw her he can't help but be filled with joy. That joy only multiplied when she trotted over to give him a warm hug in greeting. Her feet briefly left the ground as Sam returned the hug in full force.

"Oh it's good to see you," she said as her feet hit the ground.

"You too," replied Sam.

"Hi Dean," said Alex as she gives him a hug as well. It was not quite as violent as the one she shared with Sam, but loving none the less.

"I'm so glad you boys are here. I have something to show you. Come look at this."

She lead the boys to a wooden pole with a single word written on it. Croatoan.

"Roanoke," said Sam.

Alex was a little surprised that he made the connection so quickly.

"Exactly."

"Wait," Dean interjected, "what's Roanoke?"

Both Sam and Alex raised their eyebrows at Dean's response.

"The Lost Colony," said Alex.

"The what?"

Sam answered. "Didn't you ever take history Dean? Roanoke was a colony that was formed back in the 1500's."

"So?"

"So, everyone just vanished overnight. The only thing they left behind was a single word..."

"Croatoan," finished Alex.

Dean took a moment to process what they had said before he asked, "Okay, so what now?"

"Follow me," said Alex.

She'd had already done some checking around. She talked to a man named Mark about an individual she was looking for, a young man with a scar on his forehead. The ex-marine had identified him as Duane Tanner. After telling the boys that she was trying to track this Tanner guy down for information on a case, they all loaded into the Impala and drove to the Tanner family home.

"So," asked Dean from behind the wheel, "Roanoke was a colony in the 1500's?"

Sam and Alex replied in unison, "Yeah."

"Do you think what happened to the colony is happening here?"

He glanced at Alex in the rearview mirror, and Sam turned to look at her.

"I don't know, but whatever it is…we need to get to the bottom of it fast."

"Maybe we should call Bobby," Sam said as he reached for his phone. "He could probably find something out for us."

Alex shook her head as she spoke.

"No signal. I already tried."

Nobody said a word the rest of the way.

Once they reached the Tanner home the boys took point. Alex was content to sit back and watch them work. This Croatoan was not what lead her there, but she was willing to bet that it had something to do with the demon. Sam knocked on the door and a teenage boy answered.

"Yeah?"

The boys flashed their fake federal marshals' badges while Alex flashed a random one they threw her out of the glove compartment.

"We're looking for Duane Tanner," Dean said. "He lives here right?"

"Yeah he's my brother."

"Can we talk to him?"

"Oh he's not hear right now."

Alex jumped in, "Do you know where he is?"

"He's on a fishing trip."

They heard some sort of commotion from inside the house. The boy in front of them quickly looked back down the hall as a man's voice could be heard asking who was there. The boy, who they learned was named Jake, moved aside as his father comes to the door.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

Dean replied. "U.S. Marshalls. We're looking for your son, Duane."

"He's not in trouble is he?"

"No, nothing like that," said Sam. "We just wanted to ask him a few questions. He may be able to help us find someone."

"Do you know when he'll be back?" Alex anxiously asked.

"No."

'Damn it,' Alex screamed in her head. She was lost in her own thoughts about where she should look next while the boys asked if his wife knew. Mr. Tanner assured them she was out shopping and that he would let his son know they were looking for him. He abruptly shut the door in their faces. An idea suddenly formed in Alex's mind. She quickly turned to go down the stairs and began sneaking around the side of the house.

"What are you doing?" Sam asked.

Alex paused at the corner of the house and turned back to look at the two brothers.

"Checking a hunch. Come on."

She motioned for them to follow her. They stayed as low as possible as they crept to the kitchen window. What they saw astonished them. A woman they assumed was Mrs. Tanner was tied to a chair. They watched as her husband cut her and their son. As the son reached to mix his blood with hers, the hunters sprang into action.

They all drew their guns and burst through the back door. Mr. Tanner advanced towards them with the knife, and Dean fired three shots into him. When Jake jumped out the window Sam moved to take aim while Alex untied Mrs. Tanner. Sam's hesitation allowed the boy to get away. Alex saw this and took off after him.

"Where are you going?" Sam shouted after her.

"I'm going after Jake. Take her to the clinic, and I'll meet you guys there."

Before Sam could call her back she had already run across the field and into the trees after the boy.

******

Dr. Lee helped them as much as she could. Dean relayed the events that unfolded as Sam looked out the window, waiting for Alex. 'Come on Alex. Where are you?' His thoughts were interrupted by Dr. Lee's voice.

"It looks like they were fighting off an infection," she said. "There are some that can cause dementia and violence, but none of them do this to the blood."

"Do what?" asked Sam, his full attention now on Dr. Lee.

"There is this weird residue." She looked back into the microscope. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say it was sulfur."

Sam and Dean exchanged looks as a banging sound could be heard coming from the front door. Dean moved to check it out. Mrs. Tanner started to babble about her family being sick, going on about how they touched her with their blood and now she's going to be sick too. Her panic rose to such heights that Dr. Lee moved to sedate her. That's when all hell broke loose. Mrs. Tanner grabbed Dr. Lee's writs. She reached for a scalper and moved to cut her, but never got there.

Sam saw the attack and didn't hesitate like he did at the house. He pulled his gun and fired. Mrs. Tanner fell to the floor dead. Dean rushes into the room followed by the military man Alex said she had talked to earlier in the day.

"What happened?" Dean asked.

"She freaked out and attacked me," Dr. Lee said.

Mark told them that they had the town surrounded. He tried to leave, but a roadblock had been formed. They were spinning some tale about there being a quarantine. When they tried to attack him, he drove back to town. There was no way out.

Dr. Lee's assistant, Pam, had been quiet to this point, but suddenly exploded. "I have to go find my boyfriend."

"No you can't," Dean said as he took her by the arm. "It's not safe."

At that moment a frantic pounding and the screams of "let us in" could be heard. When they look to the door they saw two figures begging for entrance. Relief washed over Sam when he saw Alex standing at the door with a young man. He rushed to open the door. The young man pushed past first in a desperate attempt to distance himself from the ones waiting to attack them all. Dr. Lee started giving him a once over as Sam pulled Alex into a giant hug which she happily returned.

"God I'm glad to see you," she said. "After I took off I found Duane hiding in the woods. He told me about the place being surrounded and we made our way back here." She pulled back and quickly looked around at everyone. "We've got to get out of here. We can't stay. They are just going to close in on us if we don't move fast."

"There's no way to get through," Mark said. "Trust me I've tired. The only way you could get through there is with explosives."

That gave Sam an idea. He left Alex's side and moved to check the supplies they have available. After a quick look around, he told them all that it was possible to make some. Everyone started to move in Sam's direction when the words that come from Duane's mouth stop them all.

"She's bleeding."

They all turned to see him pointing to Alex. She quickly looked to where he was pointing and discovered a large cut across her upper thigh.

"It must have happened when we were running through the woods," she said. "I got snagged on some branches a few times. I didn't realize they had cut me."

"Tie her up," say=id Dean. "There's rope in there."

Sam looked on in horror as Mark and Duane drug a screaming Alex into the other room. She tried to reason with them as they tied her down, panic quickly rose in her voice. She fought for all she was worth, but the strength of the two men was more than she could handle.

"Doc?" asked Sam. "Is there any way to be sure, any test?"

"I studied the other's blood work backwards and forwards. It took the virus three hours to incubate. The sulfur didn't appear in the blood until then, so . . . no, there'd be no way of knowing. Not until after she turns."

"Dean, I gotta talk to you. Now."

Sam pulled Dean into the small supply closet. He was determined to stop what he knew was coming.

"This is my vision, Dean. It's happening."

"Yeah. I figured."

"You can't do this Dean. This is Alex we're talking about here. Why would she lie to us? She's a hunter. She's smart. There is no way she would come here if she thought she was putting us in danger."

"What if she's not still Alex?" Dean yelled. "Look Sam. I know you like her, but there is no way for us to know that she didn't go out there and get herself infected. Hell if you had just pulled that damned trigger back at the house this wouldn't even be happening!"

"What?"

"You hesitated Sam. You had a change to stop that kid and you didn't. That's why Alex ran off. If that hadn't happened we wouldn't be in this mess.

Sam just starred at his brother for a moment. 'How can Dean blame this on me?' He thought about fighting him but stopped when he thought about what would happen to Alex in the next few minutes if he did not do something to change Dean's mind.

"Then at least wait Dean. We have to make sure… we can't just..."

Dean cut Sam off, "For what? For her to Hulk out and infect somebody else? No thanks, can't take that chance."

Dean pushed past Sam and quickly locked the door behind him to keep Sam from following. Sam went into frenzy.

"No! Dean! Stop!" He kept yelling, but Dean just turned around and walked away.

He paused outside the door leading to the room Alex was contained in. He could hear his brother begging him to stop, but he couldn't.' I'm sorry Sammy.' He checked the clip of his gun before slamming it back into place. Turning to the doo0,r he pushed it open and looked upon a frantic Alex.

"Dean please," she pleaded. "I swear it's not in me! Dean you know me!"

"Oh God. We're all gunna die," cried Pam.

Doubt was starting to set into the group. Mark was the first to speak

"Maybe she's telling the truth."

"No, she's not her. Not anymore."

Alex's terror reached a whole new level when Dean started to raise his gun. Tears were streaming down her face at that point. 'Oh God! I'm gunna die! Look at me Dean. Please just look at me.' She desperately tried to make eye contact with Dean. If only he would make eye contact with her then perhaps she could get through to him with her powers, but he refused to look her in the eye. He looked only at her chin as he leveled the gun to her chest. His eyes quickly snapped over to the doctor for a final confirmation.

"I . . . I can't tell," she said.

"I've got no choice," he said. Resolution set in his mind. This was the only course left for him to take. "Sorry Alex." As those words leave his mouth, he locked eyes with Alex for a split second. That second was all that it took.

Alex reached into the depths of her soul and reached out to Dean's through their eyes. Every ounce of energy she had left, all of her being was focused on this moment, focused on stopping Dean from taking her life.

The moment stretched on for what felt like an eternity. Dean continued to point the gun at Alex, his finger hovering over the trigger. Alex continued to fight even as the sobs continued to escape her throat. Dean's hands began to tremble. He hesitated a moment longer before finally lowering the gun with a grimace of misgiving before leaving the room.

Alex's entire body went lax at the realization that she was going to live washed over her. 'Thank you.'

******

Dean was helping Sam make explosives when Dr. Lee walked in.

"It's been over four hours," she said. "Alex's blood is still clean. I don't think she's infected. I'd like to untie her, if that's all right."

"I'll do it," Sam replied.

He rushed into the room to see Alex slumped in the chair, the emotion of the situation having finally caught up with her. Sam said nothing as he slowly approached. No words were spoken as he carefully releases her from the bonds that held her to the chair. As her arms finally came free, she flung them around Sam's shoulders and held on for dear life as the tears began to fall anew.

It took Sam a moment to realize what is happening. When it came to him, he slowly reached up to return the embrace, then he heard her sob. It made his heart break.

They stayed like that for minutes, but if felt like hours. Alex lets out all of the emotion that had claimed her in the past several hours. Rain began to fall outside in perfect time with her tears. When they stop so did the rain. Sam pulled back slowly to wipe the tears from her face. A sad little smile formed on her face as she leaned into his touch. When Sam's other hand came into contact with the wound on her leg she winced.

"Let me go get something to clean that up with," he said as he moved to stand, placing a kiss on the top of her head before he left.

******

Pam watched and waited outside before she followed Sam into the supply room. He noticed her as he reached for more bandages and asked how she was doing.

"Good. It'll all be over soon," she said as she closed and locked the door. "In fact, I've been waiting for this the whole time."

Sam looks at her in confusion. "For what?"

"To get you alone."

She lashed out and knocked Sam to the ground, straddling his chest as she hit him, hard, across the face. Outside the room, Dean and Mark heard the commotion and armed themselves. Alex scrambled from her seat and rushed to help. When they reached the door they saw that Pam had used a scalpel to slice across Sam's chest and then across her own palm before placing her wound over his. Dean kicked the door open and fired three shoots into her back. Alex rushed forward towards Sam's outstretched hand. She was about to pull him up when Mark stopped her.

"She bled on him. He's got the virus."

Sam recoiled, realizing it was true. Alex looked from Mark to Sam and back again, pain and sorrow evident in her features. 'Oh God. What do I do?'

******

Sam sat on the stool while Alex pressed a bandage to his chest. His eyes were down, and he looked as if he was near tears. The others were all standing around watching as the scene played out before them.

"Doc, check his wound again, would you?" Dean asked. He waited, but the doctor didn't move. "Doctor!"

Dr. Lee jumped at the sound of Dean's voice before moving to examine Sam. Alex begrudgingly moved out of the way to allow her to treat his wound.

"What's she need to examine him for?" Mark asked. "You saw what happened."

Dr. Lee addressed Sam, "Did her blood actually enter your wound?"

Mark yelled, "Of course it did!"

"We don't know that for sure," responded Alex.

"You know what we have to do."

"Nobody is shooting anyone!" interjected Dean.

"Dean, they're right," Sam said. "I'm infected. Just give me the gun and I'll do it myself."

Alex rushed to his side yelling, "Forget it!"

His sorrow filled eyes connected with hers.

"I'm not gunna become one of those things."

"There's still some time for us to fix this," she said as she placed a hand on the side of his face.

"Yeah," said Dean. "We'll figure something out."

"Time for what?" asked Mark. "Look, I understand he's your brother, and I'm sorry, I am. But we gotta take care of this."

He pulled out his gun. Alex saw it and stepped in front of Sam while Dean moved to stop him.

"I'm gunna say this one time — you make a move on him, you'll be dead before you hit the ground. You understand me? I mean, do I make myself clear?"

"Then what are we supposed to do?"

Dean dug in his pocket and retrieved the keys to Baby. He looked at them for a second before tossing them to Alex. She caught them against her chest and starred at them. Then it hit her, and her eyes snap up to meet Dean's.

"Alex, take my car and get them out of here. You've got the explosives, there's an arsenal in there. You've got enough firepower to handle anything now."

"I'm not going," she said and tossed the keys to Mark. "You take it. Get out of here.

Sam reached around her waist to turn her, to force her to look at him.

"No, go with them, both of you. This is your only chance!"

Alex held Sam's head in her hands and looked into his puppy dog eyes as she spoke. "I'm not going anywhere."

"You're not gunna get rid of me that easy," said Dean.

"No, he's right. Come with us," Mark said. He waited for a moment, but nobody moved. Dean stood rooted to the spot. Alex looked back at him with a small smile and shok her head before turning back to give Sam a reassuring smile. "Okay, it's your funeral."

People slowly started to file out of the room, leaving the three hunters alone. Dean moved to sit on a nearby counter as he tried to think of a way to pass the time. Silence began to fill the small room. Tears started to slide down Sam's cheeks as he placed his hands firmly on Alex's hips.

"Don't do this," he pleaded as he starred into Alex's eyes. "Just get the hell out of here. Both of you. Please just go."

"No way," said Dean from across the room.

"Give me my gun, and leave."

"For the last time, Sam. No."

Alex slowly turned to face Dean. There was something more going on here, and she knew it. She caught a small glimpse of it in Dean's eyes when she begged for her life. She listened as Sam told Dean he was sick and that he should take her and go.

"You can keep going." Sam continued.

"Who says I want to?"

"What?"

Slowly, Alex moved herself out of Sam's grip to give the brother's their space. This was not a conversation she should be a part of. This was between the two brothers. She moved to the other side of the room to give the boys as much space as possible so they could have their long overdue discussion.

"I'm tired, Sam. I'm tired of this job, this life . . . this weight on my shoulders, man. I'm tired of it."

"So what, so you're just going to give up? You're just gunna lay down and die? Look, Dean, I know this stuff with Dad has —"

"You're wrong. It's not about Dad. I mean, part of it is, sure, but . . ."

"What is it about?"

There was a moment of hesitation. Dean moved as if he was about to speak when a noise from outside stopped him. They all braced for the attack they knew was coming. It took them all by surprise when Dr. Lee opened the door.

"You'd better come see this," she said.

The group went outside to see that the town was completely deserted. There was no rhyme or reason to it, but it was all over. Everyone was gone.

******

Dr. Lee examined Sam's blood sample while he and Alex waited with baited breath.

"Well, it's been five hours and your blood's still clean. I don't understand it but I think you dodged a bullet."

Alex beamed at Sam. 'He's safe. We're all safe.'

"But I was exposed. How could I not be infected?" he asked.

"I don't know. But you're just not. I mean, you compare it with the Tanner samples. ."

She didn't finish. She trailed off as she looked into the microscope.

"What is it?" asked Alex.

"Their blood. There's no trace of the virus. No sulfur, nothing."

******

Everyone was forming into groups to leave. Duane was going with Mark. Dr. Lee had decided to go to Sidewinder to let the authorities know what had happened. As she assured Dean that Sam was all right, his little brother was standing with Alex near her bike. He was reaching for her hand when he spoke.

"Come with us, me and Dean. We make a good team. We can look out for each other."

Alex smiled up at Sam. Oh how she wished she could go. Her heart longed to say yes, but she couldn't. There was still something she has to do, something she has to take care of before she took off with the Winchesters again. There was sadness to her voice when she spoke.

"I can't. I wish I could, but there is something I have to take care of first."

He looked down at his feet nodding. He understood. He was a hunter too. Sometimes there were things that had to be dealt with before you could look after yourself. That's the job.

"You can always call me," she continued. "Pick up the phone and I'll come running. I promise."

"That goes both ways you know?"

She nodded. "I know."

Sam pulled Alex to him in a crushing hug. The feeling of her body pressed against his own was all it took to drive the final memories of the vision of her death out of his mind.

She melted into his chest and took comfort in his warmth. She didn't know when she'd see him again, but she knew that she would.

The two reluctantly pulled apart and shared the briefest of smiles. Alex swung her leg over the bike and started it up. It roared to life, and she gave a final waive before pointing the bike in the opposite and propelling it forward. Sam watched her ride away, wondering when their paths would cross again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback welcome!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Supernatural or any of the characters found there in. Alex and the Mayfair mythology are my own.

The boys had been laying low at Bobby's house the past few weeks, ever since the bank incident in Wisconsin. When Alex showed up a few days before Christmas she threw the house into chaos and all hell broke loss.

******

"Why can't you just pick one? A tree is a tree."

Alex quickly spun on her heels to face the older Winchester.

"No it's not. It has to be perfect."

They had been at the tree lot for almost an hour already. It was Christmas Eve and Alex was dragging Sam and Dean from tree to tree trying to find the "perfect one" as she put it. None of them could remember the last time that they had had a real Christmas, and she was determined they would all get one this year.

Despite the bitter cold, Sam was having fun watching Alex float around the lot examining all of the trees and measuring them to make sure they would fit. She had already forced Bobby to clean the house from top to bottom and convinced him and his brother to move most of the furniture in the living room to make space for the tree by the window.

There had been a light in her eyes as she danced around the house cleaning and straightening. She even pulled all of Bobby's old Christmas decorations from the attic. She went to the store earlier that day and brought back enough food to feed an army.

"Eureka!" they heard her exclaimed.

Sam looked over to see Alex standing next to one of the largest pine trees he had ever seen. The massive evergreen stood almost a foot taller than she did. Dean began to grumble about having to drag the tree to the car, but she didn't seem to care. The smile on her face was so bright that she was practically glowing. When Dean turned to pay the man for the tree, she turned her smile to Sam. It was infectious. He returned it with just as much gusto as she gave it. For one brief moment there was nothing but joy in the world.

"Quit standing around you two," Dean gripped. "I can't carry this thing by myself."

******

"Bobby we're back," Alex yelled into the seemingly empty house as she held open the door for the boys behind her.

Bobby turned off the TV and walked out of the living room to see the boys wrestling with one of the biggest trees he had ever seen.

"What the… did you buy the biggest tree on the lot?"

"Yes." "No." Dean and Alex responded at the same time. Alex gave him a stern look as Sam tried not to laugh at the two.

"No," Alex continued. "It wasn't the biggest tree there. Just the best."

As the boys dragged the tree past Bobby, he couldn't help but notice the trail of needles it was leaving in its wake.

"Yeah," said Bobby as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Best at making sure I'm still picking up needles next year."

Alex only laughed as she playfully hit the hunter on the shoulder as she passed by. A small smile pulled at the old hunters face as he watched the young woman help the brothers place the tree in the stand. He hadn't seen her smile like that in years. He wasn't sure if it was just the holidays or what, but one thing was for sure. He hoped whatever it was that causing her to smile would last long after Christmas was over.

******

The lights on the tree gave the living room a glow as Sam watched Alex put the finishing touches on the tree. He could hear her humming some sort of Christmas carol as she wandered around the tree trying to find the perfect place for the ornament in her hand. She had already put the lights and garland up. There were stockings hung on fireplace mantel. She had even placed garland and lights along the top of the walls all around the room. He grinned. Where she had found all of this stuff was a mystery, but it was one he didn't care if he ever solved.

Alex stopped her humming and stood back to admire her work for a moment. Not too shabby. There was just one thing missing, the star on top of the tree. She looked around the room and found it nestled in a box in the corner. Sam still stood unnoticed as the carol started to flow from her vocal chords again while she moved the ladder she had used to hang the garland over by the tree. After picking up the star, she started to carefully climb the ladder. When she reached the top she carefully reached out to place the star in its rightful place of honor. That's when she noticed Sam.

A smile lit her face as she met his eyes from across the room. He returned her smile gladly. The lights from the tree were reflecting in her eyes, giving her an ethereal look. 'She's so beautiful,' he thought. Alex continued to smile as she blindly groped for where to put the star. A startled look appeared on her face as she started to sway dangerously atop the ladder. Sam dashed across the room to try and steady the ladder before she fell. Alex frantically tried to regain her balance, but to no avail. A small squeal of surprise emitted from her lips as she began to fall backwards and closed her eyes, waiting for the pain to come.

The pain never came. When she opened her eyes she found herself being held by a pair of strong arms. She looked up to see Sam's eyes, wide with concern, staring down at her.

"You okay?" he asked.

Alex was a little breathless as she replied, "ye…yeah… thanks."

"No problem."

Silent moments passed by, but Sam didn't place Alex back on her feet. They looked into each other's eyes. Neither said a word. A small piece of hair fell into Sam's face. Alex slowly reached up to put it back and didn't pull her hand away when she finished. Her hand rested lightly on his jaw as Sam slowly began to lean forward.

Dean entered with a shout, "Hey, you guys about done in here? Bobby and I were hoping to watch the Lakers game."

The moment lost, Sam quickly placed Alex on her feet as a deep blush spread over both their faces.

"Here," Sam said in an awkward tone as he took the star Alex was still holding in her hand. He placed one foot up on the ladder and carefully put the star on top of the tree. Alex quickly gathered the decoration boxes and left the room, bumping Dean's shoulder as she went.

"What? Did I miss something?"

"No," said Sam, "nothing's going on."

"You sure there Sammy? From the look of things something was about to happen when I walked in."

Sam sighed. "It was nothing."

Dean tilted his head and took another drink of his beer as he sat down and turned on the TV.

"If you say so."

******

Alex slowly crept down the stairs, a load of gifts in her arms. After the almost kiss with Sam she had been too embarrassed to face the others. Instead of watching the game with the rest of them, she stayed in her room wrapping the trinkets she managed to buy earlier in the day. She waited quietly in her room reading as she listened for the sounds of the other hunters going to bed. Once she heard the doors to both Bobby's room and the spare room across the hall shut, she waited 10 minutes then gathering her bundle of surprises and made her way down stairs as quietly as possible.

The lights on the tree were still twinkling as she made her way into the living room. They provided little light, but it was enough for her to not run into the furniture. She carefully started to place the gifts under the tree as she smiled to herself. They are going to be so surprised.

A small groan was heard behind her as she placed the final gift beneath the tree. She gasped as she turned to see Sam slowly sitting up from his spot on the couch. He had been almost invisible in the dim light.

He wiped the sleep from his eyes and tried to focus them as he attempted to make out the image in front of him. As the fog cleared, he saw Alex crouched beside the tree in her pajamas.

"Alex?"

"Hi," she responded as she gave a little wave.

"What are you doing? It's the middle of the night."

"Playing Santa."

She quickly looked down between her feet before sheepishly looking back up at the man sitting across from her. He chuckled softly.

"You're playing Santa," he checked his watch, "at two in the morning?"

"Yeah. A Christmas tree looks really sad without any presents under it. So, I figured I'd put a few there."

He was filled with wonder as he looked at the woman kneeling before him. She had truly thought of everything. Here she was in the middle of the night; still trying to make sure that everyone had a wonderful Christmas. He slowly moved off of the couch and moved to sit on the floor in front of her.

"Where did you get all of this?"

"It's just stuff I found here and there. Most of it I already had. I just didn't want you guys to miss out on anything. I mean… after the year you two have had with your dad and now the feds chasing you… I just thought it would be nice to forget about it for a little while. Be… ya know... normal."

Sam looked into her eyes and saw nothing but kindness and love shining back. As he looked at the gifts under the tree he noticed that there were only three. A small frown formed on his face.

"What about you? None of us got you anything."

"Sam," she said with a smile. "You are my present. All of you. You three are the closest thing to family I have ever known. I can't remember my mother. I was maybe 3 or 4 when she died. I never really knew her, but Bobby, Dean, you… you're all I care about."

Sam just smiled at her as her words sank in. She quickly looked away to a small plastic bag on the floor beside her.

"What's in there?" he asked.

"Candy mostly. I got it to fill the stockings with." They both chuckled softly. "Care to help me?"

"Sure."

Sam stood and reached down to pull Alex to her feet. They exchanged another set of smiles before turning to their work.

******

Dean awoke to the smell of something amazing coming from the kitchen. He quickly got up and threw on his clothes before rushing down the stairs and straight into the kitchen. Bobby was already at the table eating bacon and eggs while Alex placed what appeared to be a ham in the oven. Dean's mouth was watering just looking at all of the food before him. He walked over and quickly gave Alex a hug from behind.

"God I love you right now."

Bobby rolled his eyes. "Boy, sit down and leave her alone before a find something to beat you with."

Dean gladly did as he was told and began to dig into the plate of food waiting for him.

"Where's Sam?" he asked with a mouth full of bacon.

"I don't know," Alex replied. "He was already gone when I got up this morning. Hope he gets back soon though. His breakfast is getting cold."

Just as she finished speaking they heard the Impala pull up. Sam quickly burst in through the front door and greeted everyone before sitting down to eat the breakfast that waited for him.

"Where've you been?" Dean asked.

"Just went out for a while is all. No big deal."

Dean stared his brother down, trying to figure out what the kid was up to when Alex spoke.

"As soon as you guys are done we should go in the living room. I think there is something in there for you."

Everyone finished quickly and moved into the living room to find the gifts Alex had left for them and the stockings she and Sam had filled. Everyone opened their gifts happily while Alex watched. Bobby had a new Latin dictionary, Dean a new hunting knife, and Sam was holding a new case for his laptop. Everyone smiled and thanked Alex for their gifts. She smiled and returned to the kitchen to finish putting together the pecan pie they would be having for dessert that evening.

******

The day passed by slowly. When dinner rolled around there was a feast of ham, potatoes, dressing, and pie for them all to enjoy. Once dinner had been finished and the dishes cleared away, Dean and Bobby moved to the living room to watch whatever game happened to be on. Sam started to join them when he noticed Alex heading outside for a walk. He reached into his pocket to feel for the object hidden there before grabbing his coat and following her out into the cold.

"Hey Alex, wait up," he called as he trotted after her.

She turned and smiled as she waited for him to catch up to her.

"I have something for you."

Sam reached into his pocket and pulled out a simple medallion.

"Merry Christmas."

Alex stood in awe as she stared at the small silver necklace he held out before her. The pentacle was made of pure silver and had Celtic markings around its edges.

"Sam… I don't know what to say. It's… it's beautiful.'

"Can I?"

Alex only nodded as she turned and pulled her hair out of the way so Sam could place the necklace around her neck.

"I know it's not much, but it should help protect you from demons."

Sam finished fastening the clasp and smiled as Alex turned back to face him.

"Thank you Sam," she said as she ran her fingers across the pendent. "It's beautiful. You didn't have to do this."

"Of course I did. After everything you've done for us… I wanted to make sure that Christmas was perfect for you too."

Alex started to interrupt him, but Sam placed a finger on her lips before continuing.

"I know that you said having us here was enough for you, but I wanted you to have something else to remember us by… to remember me by," he finished with a melancholy tone.

"What do you mean Sam?"

He told her all that Dean had said about what their father told him. He told her about how he was afraid of what would happen, of what the demon had in mind for him. Alex quickly shushed him and did her best to quiet his fears.

"It'll be okay. You're a good man, Sam Winchester. Don't ever let anyone convince you otherwise."

Sam smiled down at the beauty before him. She always knew exactly what to say, exactly what to do to set him at ease. Alex returned his smile and got lost in his kind hazel eyes. Sam moved slowly towards her and placed a hand on the side of her face. Neither looked away as their faces slowly moved closer. When they were only a few inches apart, Alex allowed her eyes to drift shut. Their lips finally met in the softest of kisses. Sam stopped for a moment to gauge Alex's reaction, but did not wait for long before Alex closed the gap between them once more. Her hands came to rest on his chest as their lips moved together gently.

Alex felt something cold and wet land on her cheek… then another. The couple pulled apart and looked up to the sky to see fat white flakes falling all around them. Laughter escaped from them both as the watched the snow fall.

"Merry Christmas Alex."

"Merry Christmas Sam."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback welcome.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Supernatural or an of the characters found there in. Alex and the Mayfair mythology are my own.

Dean was frantically passing back and forth as he waited for Alex to answer the phone.

"Oh come on."

It rang once…twice…three times before he heard her answer.

"Hello?"

"Alex, it's me. Any chance you've heard from him?"

"From who? Sam? No. Why? I thought you guys were working a case."

"We were, but he's gone. I can't find him. I swear it's like looking for my dad all over again. I'm losing my mind here. "

Alex tried to calm her steadily rising panic as she listened to Dean's frantic voice on the other end of the line.

"Have you tried calling him," she asked.

"I've called him a thousand times, there's nothing but voicemail. I don't know where he went, or why. Sam's just gone."

Dean could hear the worry in her voice as she tried to reassure him that his brother was okay and there was some sort of logical explanation for it all, and that he'd contact them soon. He was about to tell her to stop coddling him when he heard his phone beep. When he looked at the caller id, he saw that Sam was calling.

"Hold on Alex," he said before switching to his second call. "Sammy? Where the hell are you? Are you okay? "

His brother started to babble frantically on the other end of the line. Everything he said was so fast and excited that he couldn't make out a word of what Sam was saying.

"Hey, hey, hey! Calm down. Where are you? All right, don't move, I'm on my way."

He quickly hung up his call with Sam and returned to Alex as he rushed to the Impala.

"Alex, it was Sam. I'm going after him."

Dean could already hear the sound of clothes being thrown into a bag when she spoke.

"Where is he? I'll meet you there."

******

The Impala pulled to a sudden stop outside of the motel room. When Dean got out of the car, he could hear a motorcycle coming up behind him. Alex hastily parked her bike and ran to Dean.

"Which room is he in?"

"109"

The duo hurried through the motel. It took all of Alex's willpower not to run. 'Drawing attention is the last thing we need right now,' she thought as she began looking around frantically. They searched for less than a minute when they came to the correct door.

"Sam, it's me. Sam!" yelled Dean as he pounded on the door.

When there was no response. He looked quickly to Alex. The sense of dread he felt was perfectly matched in her blue-gray eyes. Not able to stand it, she quickly turned and knocked herself.

"Sam? Sam its Alex. Sam open the door please," she begged.

Silence. Dean decided to try the handle and found the room unlocked. He carefully opened the door. Alex looked up and down the hall before drawing her gun from its hiding place at the small of her back. The door opened to reveal Sam sitting motionless on one of the beds with his back to the door. When Alex finally laid eyes on him she can't stop herself. She pushed past Dean and hastened to Sam's side, but stopped short when she notices the blood.

"Oh my god," she said as she dropped to her knees to examine the man in front of her. "Are you hurt?"

Her hands groped at his abdomen in an attempt to find a wound. When none could be found she lifted his shirt slightly and ran her fingers across his skin.

"I tried to wash it off," Sam said in a stunned tone.

After securing the door Dean made his way towards his little brother. His eyes went wide at the sight of the blood covering Sam's shirt. 'Oh my god.'

"I don't think it's my blood."

At the sound of this, Alex realizes that she was running her hands across Sam's sculpted abs and quickly pulled away. A blush would have surely covered her face where it not for her concern for Sam at that moment. The silence was broken by Dean's rough voice.

"Whose is it?"

"I don't know."

"Sam, what the hell happened?"

Sam finally looked up, and what Alex saw there almost broke her heart.

"I don't remember anything."

Alex quickly turned to Dean to see the same worried expression on his face she knew was etched on hers.

It was decided that Dean should go ask the man at the front desk about Sam as well as get some food for them while he was out. Sam could not remember the last time he had eaten, and Alex was sure that they would all need food soon. As soon as Dean left, she began trying desperately to help Sam clean up.

He didn't say a word as she helped him take off his blood stained shirt. It was as if he were in a trance of some sort. The silence continued as she scrubbed his body with a warm washcloth. As the seconds ticked by, the tension mounted to the point of insanity.

"Talk to me," Alex said as she continued to wash Sam's hands and torso.

"I don't know what happened. It's like… its like I just went to sleep in one place and woke up somewhere else."

She gently stroked the side of his face as she spoke. "You really can't remember anything? Nothing at all?"

Sam only shook his head as he looked down. Alex stood and moved to get him a new shirt. When she turned around, she nearly ran into his chest. She swayed slightly, but Sam's strong arms keep her on her feet. As Sam moved to reach for the shirt, she gulped and tried to slow her rapidly beating heart. She quickly looked up into Sam's face in an attempt to meet his eye, but he refused to meet her gaze.

"Sam?"

She tried again to look him in the eye, but every time she came into his line of sight he quickly turned his head. 'What is going on?' she thought as Dean burst through the door.

"What'd you find out?" Sam asked as he quickly turned from Alex.

Dean placed the paper bag holding their food on the table as he spoke.

"You checked in two days ago under the name Richard Sambora. Of course, I think the scariest part about this whole thing is the fact that you're a Bon Jovi fan."

"Dean," Alex chastised.

"Right. Anyway, your room's been quiet, nobody's noticed anything unusual."

A look of shock crossed Sam's face as he spoke. "You mean no one saw me walking around covered in blood?"

"Yeah. That's what I mean."

"Then how the hell did I get here, Dean? What happened to me?"

"I don't know. But you're, you're okay, and that's what matters. Everything else we can deal with."

"Oh really? 'Cause what if I hurt someone? Or worse?"

Alex placed a comforting hand on Sam's arm. "Sam . . .," she said softly, "there is no way that could happen. It's not in you to just do damage to a person for no reason."

"What if this is what Dad warned you about?"

This caught Alex completely off guard. "What do you mean?" She quickly looked back and forth between the two brothers, waiting for someone to speak. "Sam…? Dean…? One of you two better start talking or I'll swear I'll read your minds to get the answers if I have to."

"Dad told him that he'd have to kill me," Sam deadpanned.

"What?"

"Hey, whoa, whoa, come on man, let's not jump the gun here," said Dean. The entire situation was getting far too out of hand. "We don't know what happened. We've just got to treat this like, like any other job. What's the last thing you remember?"

Sam sat heavily on the bed and sighed. Alex sat beside him and garbed his hand reassuringly. She closed her eyes so she could focus on calming him, but for some reason he didn't seem to need it like she thought he would.

"Just me and you, just, in that motel room in West Texas, going out to grab some burgers, and..."

"West Texas? That was, that was over a week ago."

"That's it. Next thing I knew I was sitting here. Bloody. Felt like I'd been asleep for a month."

Dean began to walk towards the window as he spoke. "Okay. Retrace your steps. The manager said you left yesterday afternoon and he never saw you come back, so," he trailed off as he pulled back the curtain and revealed bloody fingerprint on the window. "Hey."

The trio began to wander around outside in the hopes of jogging Sam's memory. Dean kept asking if he remembered anything, but Sam only shook his head. Alex didn't say a word. She only walked hand in hand with the younger Winchester wondering what was going on. Something was off, but she just didn't know what yet. Lost in her thoughts, she almost tripped when Sam suddenly stopped.

"Wait," he said.

"What?" asked Dean.

"I think I was here."

Hope fills\ed Alex's eyes. "You remember?"

Sam shook his head. "Not really, it just feels familiar, you know?"

Dean shrugged as he moved towards the nearest garage. Sam stopped him by pointing to the second one.

"Try that one. Yeah."

Alex moved from Sam's side to investigate the garage he pointed out. She pulled on the padlock, but it didn't budge. "It's locked."

"Wait," said Sam frowning as he dug in his pocket.

When he pulled his hand out of his pocket, he was holding a key. A panicked expression crosseed his face as he looked to Alex and Dean. Alex slowly reached out to take the key from Sam's hand.

"It'll be okay," she said reassuringly.

Turning back to the door, she placed the key Sam recovered into the padlock and turned it. The lock suddenly opened. She gave Dean a sideways glance. Concern was etched on both of their faces. Dean pulled the garage door open to reveal a filthy, beat-up VW Beetle.

"Oh, please tell me you didn't steal this," he said as he stared at the vehicle in front of him.

Sam began to fidget as the Winchesters started searching the car for clues while Alex kept a silent watch at the door. When Sam touched the wheel of the car, he discovers more blood there, but this discovery alone was not enough to insight panic in any of them. It was what Dean found next in the back seat that would send them all into a bit of a tizzy.

"Sam. Back seat," said Dean.

Alex moved from her spot by the door in time to see Sam retrieve a blood-stained knife from the floor of the backseat. They all stared at it for a moment before Sam spoke.

"You think I used this on someone?" Sam asked.

"I'm not thinking anything." Dean replied.

Alex said nothing. She just watched in silence as Sam rubbed the knife handle off on the inside of his jacket. She was frozen to the spot. 'Something's wrong here.' A rock settled in the pit of her stomach as Dean picked up a pack of menthol cigarettes.

"Here," said Sam. "Gas receipt. Few towns over."

They all piled into the Impala and drove to the gas station listed on the receipt Sam found. The drive was made in complete silence. There were no questions, no musing, no conversations what so ever. When they finally pulled up at the gas station, Dean broke the silence by asking Sam if he recognized anything. Sam only shook his head before the three walked inside.

The clerk looked up in shock and then anger before making a quick outburst.

"You. Outta here now, I'm calling the cops."

"You talking to him?" Dean asked in shock as he pointed to his brother.

"Yeah, I'm talking to him. Jerk comes in yesterday, stinking drunk, grabs a forty from the fridge, starts chugging it."

"This guy? You're drinking malt liquor?"

"Not after he whipped the friggin' bottle at my head."

Alex's eyebrows shot up. "Him?" she asked in total confusion.

"What, am I speaking Urdu?"

"Look, I'm really sorry if I did anything," Sam began but the clerk interrupted him.

"Tell your story walkin', pal. Po-po will be here in five."

"Wait, wait, put the phone down. Sam, go wait in the car."

"But Dean," Sam said.

"Go wait in the car!"

Alex grabbed Sam's arm and gently pulled him towards the door.

"Come on Sam. We can wait outside."

The pair walked slowly towards the car, saying nothing. They leaned against the hood and remained silent for what seems like an eternity before Sam finally spoke.

"What's wrong with me?"

Alex's head quickly snapped to the side to look at Sam when she heard his voice. He wasn't looking at her. Instead he was staring at the earth between his feet.

"Nothing," she finally said as she placed her hand on his shoulder. "There is nothing wrong with you. You are a kind, smart, attractive guy."

"So you admit it. You think I'm attractive?"

A little smirk appeared on his face as he turned his head to face her. She huffed as she rolled her eyes and bumped his shoulder with her own. They were sharing a laugh when Dean exited the store and told them they were heading north on 71.

******

There appeared to be no real destination in mind as they drove along the deserted highway. The sun had long since set, and from what Alex could tell, they were no closer to their destination than before. Of course, that would imply that there was a set destination to begin with. Dean just keeps asking Sam if anything was familiar. Upon hearing that nothing was, he just kept driving until Sam suddenly shot forward in his seat.

"Dean, wait, right here. Turn down that road," he said.

"What?"

"I don't know how I know, I just do."

Dean quickly turned the car down the back road Sam had indicated. The turn was so sudden and sharp that it causes Alex to fall over in the back seat and hit the side of the car with a thud. Dean chuckled out an apology as he looked in the rear-view mirror. She only stared daggers at him as he drove on. After a few minutes, a large house became visible in the distance. When they got closer, they could see the vast amounts of emergency lighting and security cameras lining the property.

"Whoever lives here, I'd say they don't like surprises," said Sam as they approach the massive house.

"Should we knock?" Dean asked.

Sam and Alex began looking around the outside of the house while Dean knocked on the front door. There was no answer, but Sam did make a discovery.

"Hey Dean," he said as he waived his brother over and showed him the window ledge covered in broken glass.

"I'm surprised the cops didn't show. Place like this you'd think it'd have an alarm." said Dean.

Alex looked around the side of the house and found a power box with the cables cut.

"I think it does," she said.

She leaned back and showed the brothers the cut wire. Looks of silent agreement passed between the three hunters. They pulled their weapons as they enter the house. Sam gently pushed Alex behind him. She looked as if she meant to protest, but the look on the man's face caused it to die on her lips.

Dean lead them through the house to a small room in the back. A body was lying motionless on the floor.

"Get the lights," said Dean as he knelt beside the body.

Alex followed Sam into the room as he turned on the lights. Dean reached a hand to the shoulder of the person lying before them and very carefully turned the body over. They could now see that his throat has been slashed.

"Oh God," cried Alex when she saw the man's wide staring eyes.

Sam pulled her towards him in an attempt to comfort her as he looked on in horror. Dean placed a hand over his mouth as he took in the sight before him.

Sam suddenly spoke. "I did this."

"We don't know that," his brother replied.

"What else do you need? I mean, how else do you explain the car, the knife, the blood."

"He must have attacked you," Alex said as she pulled herself from Sam's side. "You would never just go after somebody."

"Alex is right," said Dean. "Even if you did do this I'm sure you had a good reason; you know, self-defense, uh, he was, he was a bad son of a bitch, something."

Alex started looking around the room for clues while Dean searched the man for some form of ID, finding none. As Alex ran her hand along the wall she discovered what appeared to be a lock. She pulled a pick from her back pocket and went to work. It popped open after only a few short seconds. She pushed the hidden door aside and was stunned by what she discovered.

"Guys…"

The brothers turned at the sound of Alex's voice, the same look of shock she had only moments before now on both of their faces.

"Either this guy's a Unabomber," said Dean.

"Or a hunter," finished Sam. "Dean, I think I killed a hunter."

Alex looked up and noticed a security camera in the corner of the room. She pointed it out as she saying, "There's only one way to find out."

******

Sam made quick work of the passcodes to the computer that held the security footage. They all crowded around the monitor as the scene played out before them. It clearly showed Sam attacking the man that now laid dead before them. Alex kept looking from Sam to the screen and back again, not believing her eyes. 'This isn't right. There has to be something more going on here.'

Dean just stood there with his eyes downcast as he spoke."How do you erase this? Huh? Sam, come on, I need your help."

Sam just continued to stare at the screen as he spoke, "I killed him, Dean. I just broke in and killed him."

"Listen to me," Dean said in a forceful tone. "Whoever this guy is, he's a hunter. Which means that other hunters are going to come looking for his killer, which means we've got to cover our tracks, okay?"

Sam showed them a letter from the man's daughter, reveling his name to be Steve Wendell. He felt a hand on his shoulder and glanced back to see Alex forcing a reassuring smile. A load crash echoed through the room as Dean smashed the computer and stomped it with his boot a few times for good measure.

"Wipe your prints," he said. "Then we go."

" I can do a spell that will make it look like we were never here," said Alex.

"Good. Just do it fast. We need to get out of here."

******

"All right," said Dean as he barreled through the motel room door, Sam and Alex close behind, "we get a couple hours sleep and then we put this place in our rear-view mirror. Look, I know this is bad, okay? You've gotta snap out of it. Sam, say something!"

"Just get some sleep and leave in the morning? Murder, Dean. That's what I did."

Alex just watched in silence as the brothers exchanged words. Dean kept insisting that there must be more to it, and Sam just resigned himself to the fact that he had killed a man, another hunter, in cold blood. She kept racking her brain for ideas, theories, spells, anything that would make this whole thing seem right somehow. When Dean suggested a shapeshifter she knew that couldn't be it. She had already considered that in the car on the way back. 'There was no way that could have been Sam. It just wasn't possible.'

"Yeah, but it wasn't you!" Dean yelled, breaking Alex from her thoughts. "All right? I mean, yeah, it might have been you, but it wasn't you. "

"Well, I think it was," said Sam as he sat on the side of the bed. "I think maybe more than you know."

Her heart broke as she heard Sam speak. She sat beside him and took his hand to offer some comfort. The small squeeze Sam gave her hand with his own iwas s all she need to know that he was grateful.

"What the hell does that mean?" Dean asked.

"For the last few weeks I've been having... I've been having these feelings."

"What feelings?" said Alex.

Sam didn't meet anyone's eyes as he spoke.

"Rage. Hate. And I can't stop it. It just gets worse. Day by day it gets worse."

"You never told me this," said Dean.

"Sam, why didn't you say anything?" asked Alex.

"I didn't want to scare you," he said as he turns to face her before looking up at his brother, "either of you. Dean, the yellow-eyed demon, you know he has plans for me. And we both know that he's turned other children into killers before, too."

"No one can control you but you Sam. Look at me. I'm proof of that. My abilities very easily could have controlled me, but I've learned to control them. If the demon is behind this we'll find him and put an end to that son of a bitch, one way or the other. We won't let him get to you Sam... I won't let him get you."

The corner of Sam's mouth twitched at Alex's words, but they were not enough.

"It sure doesn't seem like that. It feels like no matter what I do, slowly but surely I'm, I'm just becoming..."

"What?" Dean asked.

"Who I'm meant to be. I mean, you said it once yourself, Dean. I gotta face up to who I am."

"I didn't mean this!"

"But it's still true. You know that. Dad knew that too, that's why he told you, if it ever came to this . . ."

"Shut up, Sam."

"Dean, you promised him. You promised me."

Alex had now become completely lost to what the brothers were talking about. She asked " What? What did you promise?" in hopes that the knot of fear forming in the pit of her stomach was unfounded, but her questions landed of deaf ears.

"No. Listen to me. We're going to figure this out. Okay? I mean, there's got to be a way, right? Alex isn't there some spell or ritual or something that can help us out here?

"I don't know," she replied. "I don't know of any off of the top of my head, but I can…"

Sam suddenly cuts her off by saying, "Yeah, there is. There is something you can do Dean."

He pulled his hand from Alex's as he stood and made is way towards his duffel bag. He searched for a moment before finding his target. When he pulled his hand back out there was a gun held firmly in it.

"I don't want to hurt anyone else. I don't want to hurt you, or you," he said as he looked from his brother to the young woman sitting dumbfounded on the bed.

"You won't. Whatever this is, you can fight it."

"No I can't," he said. "Not forever." He pushed the gun into Dean's hand. "You've got to do this."

"No," said Alex as she rose from her spot on the bed and moved between the two brothers. "This is not happening."

Alex took the gun from Dean's hands with little resistance and tossed it onto the bed. "I'd rather die," she heard him say as he slowly moved past her. She turned her eyes back to Sam, ready to plead with him to see reason until she locked eyes with him for the first time since they found him covered in blood. What she saw chilled her to the bone. She could see Sam's soul hidden deep within the hazel eyes, but it was not only his soul she could see. It looked to her as if it was being held back by a thick black fog. Her eyes went wide as the realization dawned on her.

"Dean.." she started to say before Sam knocked her cold with the gun she had placed on the bed just moments before.

At the sound of his name the elder Winchester turned just in time to see Alex fall to the ground unconscious before feeling the butt of the pistol connect with his skull and everything went black.

******

An insistent knocking could be heard as Dean slowly began to regain consciousness. It took a moment for things to come back to him. He looked around and found Alex still unconscious and laying only a few feet away. He crawled over to her and shook her gently.

"Alex. Alex wake up."

A groan escaped her lips as she slowly started to come to. The pain in her head from the blow almost made her vomit when she tried to sit up. Once Dean was satisfied that she was okay, he went to open the door.

"What?" he asked in a groggy voice.

The manager on the other side of the door looked slightly intimidated as he spoke. "It's past checkout, and I've got a couple here needs your room."

Dean looked past him to see an embarrassed businessman with a hooker. "Yeah, I'll bet they do. What time is it?"

"Twelve-thirty. "

Alex slowly picked herself up off of the floor and held her head as she approached the door.

"That guy who was with us," she asked, "have you seen him?"

"Yeah, he left before dawn in your car," he said as he pointed to Dean, "and you should have gone with him, because now I'm going to have to charge you extra."

Alex reached into her back pocket and pulled out a fifty.

"Here that should do it," she said as she shoved it into his hand. "We'll be gone in ten."

She closed the door and moved to pack her things.

"This is just great," said Dean. "Sam's run off again."

"He's not Sam."

Dean was caught off guard by her statement.

"What?"

"He's possessed," she replied as she pushed past him to get a few of her things from the nightstand.

"How can you be so sure?"

"I saw it in his eyes."

"Excuse me?"

Alex stopped packing and let out a slow breath before turning to face Dean. He's arms were crossed defiantly against his chest as he awaited her response. She took another deep breath before she began. She told him the same thing she once told Sam. Dean stayed completely silent as he listened to her talk about her powers, stance slowly relaxing as her words sink in. Once she was done, she just waited for Dean to respond.

"Okay great," he said. "So you are some uber psychic, Sam's possessed, and he's taken my baby to God knows where."

"Actually," said Alex. "I know where he's going."

"Oh I guess you saw that too?" Dean asked, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Actually yes. Now come on. I've got a plan."

The duo stormed out of the room a few minutes later. The manager and the 'new guests' were waiting outside. Dean gave them his most charming smile as he tossed the keys to the man in the suit as they pass by.

******

"Oh no," said Dean once they were outside and he saw what awaited him.

Alex has just finished placing her duffel in a side compartment of her bike when she looked up at Dean.

"What?"

"There is no way in hell that I am riding on the back of that thing."

"Well, your not driving it. So you can hop on or walk. That's up to you," said Alex as she swung her leg over the Harley. She looked back at Dean and raised her eyebrows.

Dean rolled his eyes as he spoke.

"I'm gunna regret this," he said as he secured his bag around his shoulders and hopped on behind Alex.

******

Alex parked the bike near the docs so that it couldn't be heard from the bar up ahead. She and Dean quickly dismounted and made their way towards the bar as silently as possible. Music could be heard playing from the jukebox inside as the pair of hunters look through the window. They could see Jo tied to a pole in the center of the room while "Sam" walked around her with a knife.

"Okay," said Dean as they crouched below the window. "Now what?"

Alex looked around quickly before answering.

"You go through the front and get his attention. I'll come in from the back and surprise him."

Before Dean could say a work, Alex was off like a rocket.

"Son of a bitch," he said as he made his way towards the front door.

The demon wearing Sam's face was shoving a rag into Jo's mouth when the door burst open, and Dean charged in with his gun raised.

"Sam!" he yelled.

Sam grabbed the knife from the pillar. His expression was one of pure calm before shifting to one of desperate panic as he places the knife at Jo's throat.

"I begged you to stop me, Dean."

"Put the knife down, damn it," said Dean. 'Come on Alex where are you?' he thought.

******

Alex had been waiting in the back for Dean to enter. When she heard him come through the front door she grabbed a glass full of water and quickly blesses it. As Dean continued to distract the demon, she did her best to sneak up behind him.

"I told you I can't fight it! My head feels like it's on fire, all right? Dean. Kill me, or I'm going to kill her. Please. You've be doing me a favor! Shoot me."

Dean can see Alex coming up behind Sam and lowered his gun.

"Shoot me!"

Alex was now directly behind the demon. She looked to Dean quickly as she raised the glass in her hand.

"Leave Sam alone you demonic son of a bitch!" she yelled as she threw the holy water on him.

A hissing sound could be heard as it hit him. Sam raised his head, his eyes the solid black of a demon's. Dean had been unsure of what Alex had told him until that moment. He reached in his pocket for a flask of holy water as Alex started to recite a ritual from memory. Sam growled and turned towards Alex before she could complete the first sentence. He reached up and backhanded her across the face, sending her to the floor. Dean threw more holy water on him, but instead or restraining him, it only outraged him more. He burst through a window and began fleeing on foot.

Alex was picking herself up of the floor when Dean called out to her.

"You take care of Jo. I'll go get Sam."

Dean jumped through the broken window in pursuit of his brother while Alex took the gag from Jo's mouth.

"Long time no see," said Alex as she worked to cut the ropes that held Jo to the pole.

"Yeah," Jo replied. "Think maybe next time you drop in for a visit it can be when I'm not being held hostage."

Alex chuckled softly. "Sure."

The old friends shared a quick smile in greeting, but the smiles quickly fade when they headr the sound of a gun firing in the distance.

******

Dean followed Sam down onto the docks. The demon was enjoying taunting Dean as they both took cover behind a few of the boats.

"Well, I hope you got your kicks," said Dean. "Because you're gonna pay hell for this, I'm gonna make sure of that."

"How? You can't hurt me. Not without hurting your little brother. See, I think you're gonna die, Dean. You and every other hunter I can find. One look as Sam's dewey, sensitive eyes? They'll let me right in their door."

"I may not be able to hurt you, but Alex can. She's one pretty powerful psychic. Figured you out just by looking you in the eye."

Dean pulled out a second flask of holy water and looked around for any sign of his younger brother.

"Oh yes," said demon Sam, "sweet little Alexandra. There's a lot more to her than either you or your brother know."

"Yeah, like what?"

When there was no response, Dean looked over his cover to see Sam's shadow moving through a door. He quickly followed, gun at the ready. Looking around the corner onto a pier, he saw nothing. Slowly, Dean made his way out into the open to search for Sam. As he looked over the edge, the smallest sound could be heard behind him. His eyes went wide as he turned to see Sam with a gun leveled on his chest.

Sam fired a shot into Dean. The older Winchester cried out before falling over the edge. A splash reached the demon's ears as the hunter hit the water. He slowly walked to the edge and looked over. The waters were calm. There was no sign of the man he intended to kill. A satisfied smirk momentarily appeared on his face before he turned and walked away.

******

Jo and Alex ran through the pier looking for any sign of Sam or Dean.

"Dean," shouted Jo over and over again.

When there was no response, Alex pulled out her cellphone and tried calling him. Only the voicemail answered.

"Shit, he's not answering."

The two girls exchange worried looks and both started shouting the man's name. Alex dialed his number one more time. There was no answer, but they could hear Dean's phone ringing nearby. Jo pointed the flashlight to the edge of the water and spoted the hunter lying unconscious at it's edge.

"Dean! Dean!," she yelled as she ran to his side, Alex close behind her.

"Take it easy," Alex warned when she noticed the wound in his shoulder.

Dean let out a groan of pain as he tried to sit up.

"Where's Sam?" he asked.

"I don't know. We've been looking for you," Jo replied.

"We heard the gun shot and came running," said Alex. "Can you stand?"

Dean nodded. She helped him stand, but he was having a hard time walking. Jo wrapped his good arm around her, and he leaned on her heavily for support. Dean clutched his shoulder as they walked back to the bar.

******

Dean had a white knuckled grip on the end of the table as Jo dug the bullet out of his left shoulder. A groan of pain escaped his throat.

"Don't be a baby!" she said as she continued to work.

"God!"

"Almost. All right, got it. Got it."

Alex looked over at the two and saw Dean taking a few healthy swigs from a bottle of whiskey to dull the pain. She took the icepack off of the bruise that was rapidly forming on her cheek as she approached.

"You know I can help you with that," she said.

"For the millionth time no! I'm fine." He looked down at his now bullet free shoulder. "God, you're a butcher."

"You're welcome," Jo replied with a sarcastic smile.

"All right, are we done?"

"Would you give me two minutes to patch you up? You can't help Sam if you're bleeding to death." She continued layering gauze and tape over the wound as she spoke. "This would have been a lot easier if you had let Alex help you ya know?" She paused momentarily before continuing. "So, how did you know? That he was possessed?"

"I didn't," said Dean. "Alex did."

Jo looked at Alex expectantly. She calmly explained to Jo what she saw when Sam looked her in the eye. Jo chuckled.

"Well," she said, "with everything else I've learned you can do tonight I can't say I'm surprised. You're secret's safe with me. I promise."

"Thanks Jo."

The girls shared a sisterly hug as Dean readied himself to go. He grabbed the keys to the Impala that Sam left off of the counter. They noticed that Alex's bike was gone as they made their way back to the bar, and Dean couldn't say that he was sorry to be rid of the thing. As far as he was concerned, he was never going anywhere in anything other than his car again.

Alex and Jo stopped short at the door when they heard Dean's voice.

"You're not coming," he said as he pointed to Jo.

"The hell I'm not," she replied. "I'm a part of this now."

Dean sighed in frustration as he spoke. "I can't say it more plain than this. You try to follow me and I'll tie you right back to that post and leave you here. This is my fight. I'm not getting your blood on my hands. That's just how it's gonna be."

"Alex is going!"

"It doesn't matter Jo! She's already way to deep into this and I'll be damned if you get dragged into it too!"

He turned to leave but was stopped by the sound of Jo asking him to wait. When he turned around, she was holding a pill bottle out to him.

"Here. Take these. Since you won't let Wonder Woman over there help you. Should help with the pain."

He took the pill bottle from her hand and said he'd call her as he left. Alex gave her a final smile and waived as she followed suit. Jo just stood there and listens as the Impala doors close before they drove away, all the while knowing that he never would call.

******

Dean was driving like a mad man towards Bobby's house while Alex sat in the passenger seat dialing her phone. The previous attempts had just continued to ring, but this time was different. This time it wouldn't even ring.

"Damn it," cried Alex as she slammed the phone closed. "I think he's already there."

Dean looked at her from the corner of his eye before pushing the pedal to the floor and willing the Impala to go faster.

******

The Impala ground to a screeching halt as Alex opened the door and raced to Bobby's door, Dean hot on her heels. She didn't even bother to knock as she flew through the front door and caused it to bounce off the wall.

Hearing the commotion, Bobby walked in from the study and saw the two younger hunters.

"Don't you two know how to knock?"

A wave of relief washed over Alex as she ran to hug Bobby.

"Oh thank God," she said. "Bobby it's Sam he's.."

"Possessed," he finished for her.

Dean looked a little confused and asked him how he knew.

"Ah hell boy, I wasn't born yesterday."

They followed the older hunter into the study and saw an unconscious Sam tied to a chair, directly under a devil's trap.

"I was just about to get started when I heard you trying to rip my door off it's hinges."

"Sorry Bobby," Alex said with a sheepish grin.

"Well then it looks like we got here just in time," said Dean.

He began to smack his younger brother in the face to wake him as Alex went to Bobby's desk to retrieve a book.

"Hey."

Sam slowly began to stir and looked up to see the trap on the ceiling above him.

"Dean," said the demon, "back from the dead. Getting to be a regular thing for you, isn't it? Like a cockroach."

Dean looked down into the demon's face. "How about I smack that smartass right out of your mouth?"

"Oh, careful, now," he replied. "Wouldn't want to bruise this fine packaging."

"Oh don't worry, this isn't gonna hurt Sam much." He picked up a bucket from the floor. "You on the other hand..."

Dean tossed a bucket full of holy water on the demon. He began to sizzle and scream in agony.

"Feel like talking now?"

"Sam's still my meat puppet. I'll make him bite off his tongue. "

"No, you won't be in him long enough. Alex."

She walked up behind him holding the book she retrieved from Bobby's desk and began to read the Latin ritual of exorcism in a calm measured tone while Dean continued on, leaning down to get in the demon's face.

"See, whatever bitch-boy master plan you demons are cooking up? You're not getting Sam. You understand me? Because I'm gonna kill every one of you first."

The demon struggled painfully for a moment before throwing back his head and laughing. The sound of that evil laugh stopped Alex cold.

"You really think that's what this is about? The master plan?" he asked. "I don't give a rat's ass about the master plan."

Alex tried reading the ritual again.

"Oops. Doesn't seem to be working." He turned his head to look at Alex. "Nice try your majesty, but I'm afraid that's not going to be enough. See, I learned a few new tricks."

He lowered his head and began growling. The fire behind him flared and the room began to shake. Panic started to set it as Dean spoke.

"This isn't going like I pictured! What's going on, Alex?"

"I don't know. It's not me."

Bobby moved to Sam's side and discovered a burn mark on his forearm.

"It's a binding link!" he yelled to the others over the sound of the room crumbling. "It's like a lock! He's locked himself inside Sam's body!"

"What the hell do we do?" asked Dean.

"I don't know!"

Sam threw back his head and screamed as the walls and ceilings begin to crack, breaking the protective circle. His eyes went black as he lowered his head to look at the others.

"There. That's better."

He jerked his head left and sent Bobby into the wall, knocking the man unconscious. He jerked his head right and Dean landed heavily against the far wall. He turned his attention to Alex to do the same. Her eyes went wide in anticipation, but nothing happens. The demon sighed and ripped an arm free of the restraints, waiving his hand as he did so. One of the bookshelves behind Alex begins to fall. She tried to jump out of the way but it came down hard on her legs pinning her to the ground.

"Stupid witch," he said before waking towards Dean. "You know when people want to describe the worse possible thing? They say it's like hell."

Bobby came to and saw Alex pinned to the floor. He crawled over and started to help her wiggle loose as the demon began to beat Dean.

"We've got to break that link," she said softly as she pulled herself from under the shelf.

"How?"

She quickly looked around and saw the fireplace tools. She scrambled over to them and grabbed the poker, placing it in the fire. 'Just hold on Dean.' The end began to glow red before she pulled it from the flames. Bobby, realizing what she intended to do, run to Sam and grabbed his arm as he pulled back to hit Dean again. When the demon turned to see what is happening, Alex place dthe poker directly across the seal on his arm, breaking it.

The demon screamed in pain as black smoke billowed out of Sam's mouth and up the chimney. Sam fell back, scrabbling and looking around in confusion, grabbing his arm in pain as Dean pulled himself to a sitting position.

"Sammy?" Dean asked.

"Did I miss anything?"

Dean reared back and sent a right-hook to Sam's jaw before rolling his eyes and groaning as he laid back down. Sam grabbed his face in confusion and looked to Alex and Bobby for answers.

"Come on," she said with a chuckle as she went to help Sam up. "Let's get something on that burn."

Bobby helpped Dean off the floor.

"Idjit"

******

Sam sat silently at Bobby's table while Alex gently applied ointment to his burn. He hissed slightly when she began, but she soothed away the pain and continued. She finished applying the ointment and placed an icepack on his arm for good measure before standing.

"I'm sorry," she heard him say softly. He wasn't looking at her, only staring at the center of the table. A gentle smile appeared on her face.

"You have nothing to be sorry for."

She brushed back his hair and placed a soft his to his head before turning to fix a second icepack. Dean entered with a groan and fell into the chair opposite his younger brother. Alex tossed him the second icepack before leaving the room, listening to the brothers as she went.

"By the way, you really look like crap, Dean."

"Yeah, right back atcha."

Bobby walked slowly into the room, a look of concern etched on his face. It didn't escape the younger Winchester's notice.

"What is it, Bobby?"

"You boys ever hear of a hunter named Steve Wendall?" he asked.

"Why do you ask?" chimed Dean.

"Just heard from a friend. Wendall's dead. Murdered in his own house. You wouldn't know anything about that."

Dean sounded absolute when he spoke.

"No sir, never heard of the guy."

Sam began to protest, but was stopped when he heard Bobby continue.

"Good. Alex hadn't either. Keep it that way. Wendall's buddies are looking for someone or something to string up, and they're not going to slow down to listen to reason. You understand what I'm saying?"

"Yes sir," Dean said. Sam only nodded his confirmation.

Bobby handed each of the boys a small metal charm, telling them it would ward off possession in the future. They thanked Bobby for the charms before Sam stood and went to find Alex. It didn't take him long. He saw her standing in Bobby's study, placing the books back on the shelves of the case the demon had turned over.

"Hey," he said as he slowly entered the room.

Alex quickly looked up, a smile appearing on her face when she saw the man before her.

"Hi."

"Want some help?"

She nodded and continued her work. He bent to pick up one of the books from the floor. As he did so, he actually really looked at her for the first time since she helped him off of the floor. She pushed back a curl that had fallen lose from her braid. That's when he sees it, the dark bruise that had formed on her cheek from where he'd struck her.

"I'm sorry," he said as he stood.

Alex followed suit.

"For what?"

"For this," he said as he reached out. His thumb gently stroked her cheek. She winced slightly.

"It's not your fault."

"Yes it is. I'm the one who did this."

"No you're not. You were possessed Sam. You had no control over what was happening."

"But I was awake for some of it. Alex… I watched myself hit you. I watched as I tied Jo up. I even saw myself shoot Dean. I tried to stop it. I really did but…"

He was cut short by Alex's fingers on his lips. When he looked into her eyes all he saw staring back was love and compassion.

"You talk too much," she said before standing on her toes to place a tender kiss on his lips.

When she pulled away, she could see a small smile forming on the lips she had just kissed. Sam placed a hand on either side of her face and pulled her back in as he bent to meet her. Their lips meet softly at first, but soon it became more passionate. His tongue slid along her bottom lip, seeking entrance. Alex gladly obliged as she brought her arms up to wrap around his neck. His hands left her face and gently trailed down her back until they come to rest on her hips. Slowly he backed her up against the bookshelf as a thumb slid under her shirt to caress the soft skin there.

The sound of a throat being cleared caused the two to quickly pull apart. They looked to the entry way to see Bobby giving them a disapproving stare before shaking his head and walking away. The couple chuckled like teenagers that have just been caught until they heard Dean.

"Hey Sam, come on. It's time to hit the road."

"Just a minute Dean." He turned back to Alex. "I gotta go."

"Take care of yourself Sam Winchester. Here," she said as she unclasps a chain from around her neck.

When Sam looked closer he could see that it is the charm he gave her for Christmas. She held it out to him.

"Looks like you might need this more than I do," she said.

"No," Sam replied as he placed it back around her neck. "I'd rather you keep it. That way I know you're safe."

"What about you?"

"Bobby gave us some charms to ward off possession. I'll be alright."

The curl has come lose from behind her ear again. They could hear Dean bellowing his impatience from the front door causing them to chuckle slightly. Sam tucked the curl behind her ear and places one last tender kiss on her lips before turning to join his brother. He paused at the door and turned.

"See you later," he said.

"See ya Sam."

Once she heard the front door close, she went back to picking up the wayward books from the floor until one of them caught her eye. It lay open on the floor. Something in its Latin text stood out. She picked it up from the floor and began reading it as best she could, her eyes went wide as she discovered its contents.

"Bobby," she called.

"Yeah?"

"Is it alright if I borrow one of your books for a while?"

"Sure. Just make sure you don't lose it. Took me a long time to track some of those down."

"I won't."

A small smile of satisfaction formed on her face as she snaps the book shut.' Now we're talkin'.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave feedback. Thanks.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Supernatural or any of the characters there in. Alex and the Mayfair mythology are my own.

The sun was just starting to peer over the horizon when Alex Thomas dragged her bone weary body into her hotel room. All of the non-stop hunting on her own was starting to take its toll on the pretty young brunette. She began to cough violently as she tried to pack her bag and get back on the road, but the coughing forced her onto the bed.

"Damn it." 'Come on Alex you never do this. Hunter's don't get sick days. You know that.'

Sick days or not, Alex had the suspicion that what she thought was just a cold was turning out to be the flu. She was so weak that standing was getting to be an issue. When that spirit heard her cough earlier, she thought it would be the end of her. She just barely managed to get away, but the spirit was still out there somewhere.

After trying and failing to rise multiple times, she gave in and reached for her phone.

******

Sam sat in another dingy old motel room researching on his laptop while Dean went to buy them food. They hadn't had a hunt in almost a week. While Sam enjoyed the rest, stopping forced him to think about all of the other things going on in his life. Alex, the yellow-eyed demon, the demon's plan. He was actually relieved when the phone rang.

"Hello"

A very weak voice answered, "Sam?"

He could barely hear the person on the other end. When he pulled the phone away from his ear to check the caller ID, alarm immediately filled his mind.

"Alex! I can barely hear you. Are you okay? You sound awful."

"I'm okay," she chuckled. "I just need some help on a case. I was trying to put down this spirit, but I think I'm getting the flu. I've already done all of the research. I just need a little help with the follow through."

A hideous cough sounded on the other end of the line. Sam could tell that Alex was in a bad way. She would only ask for help if there really was no way for her to do this.

"Sure. We'll be right there."

He got the information about her whereabouts and ended the call just as Dean returned with their food. Sam quickly looked up at his brother and spoke.

"We've got a case. Alex called. She needs some help."

"Great! Then let's get going."

******

When Sam finally reached up to knock on the door he was exhausted. The boys had driven all day to get to their destination. Now that they had finally arrived, all he wanted to do was sleep. That all changed when he saw the state of the person on the other side of the door.

Alex was white as a sheet. The little smile she was trying to make only made her look worse. There was a small sheen of sweat on her forehead, but she was dressed up like she was freezing. Dean raised his eyebrows at the sight of her. Sam had mentioned that she thought she was getting sick, but she looked far worse than he could ever have imagined. Hell, she looked like death.

"Come on in," she said as she moved aside.

The boys slowly entered, both watching her with worry as she shut the door and moved towards the table to show them her research. A couching fit suddenly overtook her. She started to sway on her feet. Sam, fearful that she might fall, reached out to steady her.

"Oh God Alex," he said. "You're burning up."

Heat was radiating off of her body. He had figured she had a fever from the way she looked, but it must be extremely high for her to be putting of that much heat.

"I'm okay."

"Like hell," Dean said. "You look like you're about to fall over. Sam, take her to the hospital to see a doctor. I'll stay here and sort through all of this."

Alex began to protest, but the look on the older Winchesters face stopped her. Dean tossed his keys to Sam. As Sam helped Alex out to the Impala Dean couldn't help but laugh. 'Stubborn woman.'

******

The doctor confirmed what Alex had already suspected. She had a major case of the flu and had been ordered to rest for at least a week. The boys took care of the spirit for her. Although Sam was probably more focused on taking care of her than any creature that went bump in the night. He brought her soup and Gatorade. He took care of everything.

Dean kept rolling his eyes as he watched. This is pathetic.

When they discovered what looked like a series of werewolf attacks in San Francisco, it was all Dean could do to convince Sam to go with him on the hunt. Sam could barely convince Alex to stay in bed while they were gone.

"Look," said Sam, "the room is already paid up for another week. Just relax and focus on getting better. I'll call to check up on you."

Alex crossed her arms in defiance but reluctantly agreed. Her fever finally broke a day and a half ago. She kept insisting that she felt a lot better. She did, but the strength had yet to return to her limbs. As much as she hated it, she agreed to stay behind. Fighting a werewolf would not be a very good idea for her right now.

******

It had been decided that Dean would go out looking for their werewolf while Sam stayed with Madison. The idea didn't bother Sam at first, but now he was starting to feel a little uncomfortable. After she dumped her underwear out in front of him, he just couldn't think straight. Dean's phone call didn't help much to ease the tension either. 'I'm not a stiff,' thought Sam. 'I'm just not sure what I'm supposed to do.'

When the credits to the show they had been watching finally rolled, he was stunned.

"Wait," he said. "So…Kendall married Ethan's father just to get back at him?"

" Yup," Madison replied. "And now she's set to inherit all the casinos that were supposed to go to Ethan."

"What a bitch!"

The two share a simple laugh at the show and the awkward situation they found themselves in. In that moment, something occurred to Sam. He had never been able to have a moment like this with Alex. There was no TV watching, no simple conversation. There was only monsters and hunting.

'I wonder what shows Alex likes to watch. Does she even like TV?'

The sound of Madison's voice broke him from his train of thought.

"Admit it, you're hooked."

"No, no, no. I wouldn't say I'm hooked." He paused momentarily as she giggled. "You know, can I ask you a question? It's a little personal."

"You've seen my entire underwear collection. Go ahead. "

"Okay, um…well, you're clearly smart. I mean, your house is full of great books, you know? And you're independent."

'God this is weird,' he thought.

"Uh-huh."

"What were you doing with Kurt?"

Sam listened as Madison told her story. As he listened he hoped for a clue, some bit of information that would make his own life easier to comprehend. There was an obvious attraction between him and Alex. He knew that much, but what he didn't understand was what happened next. They were hunters. The both spent most of their time driving across the country killing things. That was not how Sam pictured a relationship, and according to Dean that was something a hunter never got anyway.

He tried to have one with Jessica, a relationship, a normal life. He had loved her with all his heart, but look how that had turned out. She died because of this life, the life he had tried to protect her from. He didn't want to go through that again. Sure Alex was a hunter and knew about all of the things that went bump in the night. Nothing would catch her unawares like it had Jess, but running all over the place was no way to start a life. That was no way to raise a family. He had been raised that way. and it had sucked. He didn't want his kids growing up like that.

'Whoa, where did that come from?'

"You wanna know why I stayed with him? Really?" Madison asked.

Sam realized that she was talking to him and nodded.

"I was too insecure to leave."

Sam was surprised.

"I find that hard to believe. I mean, you don't really seem like the type."

"Yeah, well, some stuff happened. My life changed, I changed. For the better, I think."

"What happened?"

"Well, for one thing, I got mugged."

As she told her story, Sam began to realize just how much she reminded him of Alex. They both had that quiet strength. You wouldn't think it to look at either of them, but these women could handle themselves well. They fought for the lives they wanted. 'Maybe that's why Alex seems to keep coming to me. Maybe she's just fighting for the life she wants.'

When Madison asked if she was normal he replied, "Yeah, not so much. You're…unusual."

"Unusual, like…,"she points to her head, "unusual?"

"No, no, no. Unusual, like…impressive."

It was true. She was impressive, but so was Alex and at that moment all Sam wanted to do was hear the sound of her voice. When Madison said she was going to turn in, he decided he was going to hear just that.

******

Sitting and doing nothing has never been something that Alex was particularly good at. No matter how many TV shows she watched or naps she took, she still feels bored. When the fever was in full swing it was okay. Day one without it was fine, but now that she was on day three she was starting to go a bit crazy.

That's why she started working on the translations again. The book she borrowed from Bobby held more information then she could ever have hoped for. Latin had always come naturally to her, but some of the passages in this book were in such an old dialect that it was making getting all of the information she needed a little more difficult than she was used to.

It had been almost two hours since she'd taken a break when her phone started ringing.

"Hello."

"Hey Alex how are you feeling?"

A smile spread across her face when Sam's voice hit her ears.

"A lot better. How's the hunt?"

"I'm glad. You sound a lot better. The hunts okay. Dean's out looking right now."

Alex was a little confused.

"Dean's out by himself?"

"Well, … yes but,… I'm standing watch."

Her eyebrow raised slightly as she listened. Sam could practically see the look on her face through the phone.

"The werewolf's kinda after his ex," Sam said. "So we figured we'd hedge our bets. Dean's out looking for him while I stay with Madison. That way if he shows up here we'll get him."

"Oh, I guess that makes since."

It did make since, but Alex couldn't help but feel jealous. She didn't like the idea of Sam being alone with this Madison, whoever she was.

"I just wish I wasn't sick so I could be there to help you guys," she said.

"I know. I wish you were here too," replied Sam. "You know… maybe when this is over and you're back on your feet we can uh… we can go do something? You know see a movie? Just spend some time together? Talk?"

Alex smiled.

"Yeah. I'd like that."

Both parties were blushing and grinning from ear to ear. They talked for a little while until Alex started couching in the middle of a yawn. Sam looked at the clock and noticed how late it was.

"Oh man Alex it's really late," he said. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be keeping you up. You're sick. You should be in bed."

"It's okay Sam. Don't worry about it. I'll talk to you later okay?"

"Okay. Good night Alex."

"Night Sam."

Alex ended the call and looked back down at the book and papers on the table in front of her. 'Guess I'll work on this some more tomorrow.' She slowly pushed back her chair and stood looking down on her work with a confident grin on her face. 'I'm gunna nail you to the wall you bastard.'

******

Sam was sitting on the couch watching TV as the early morning rays came through the window. He kept thinking back to his conversations with Alex last night and the kiss they had shared at Bobby's. 'Maybe Alex and I really can have something.'

He was interrupted from his thoughts when the phone rang. He looked at the caller ID, Dean was calling.

"Dean, you okay?"

The next words out of his brother's mouth took Sam by complete surprise.

"Yeah, now that I'm conscious," Dean said. "The werewolf knocked me out. Sam, its Madison."

"What?"

"Yeah, awesome job of keeping an eye on her."

Sam couldn't believe it. He had stayed up all night. She hadn't gone anywhere. He quickly stood and went to her doorway to see that she was still sound asleep in her bed.

"Dean, I've been here the whole time. She's in bed, asleep."

"Well, she wasn't an hour ago. Check her right arm below her elbow. I nicked her with a silver knife."

Dean disconnected the call just as Madison was waking. She rolled over and slowly sat up. Sam could tell that she wasn't wearing anything under the sheet and quickly looked away.

"Morning," she said as he was turning to leave.

As she sat up, she too noticed that she was naked. Sam began to feel very uneasy about standing in her apartment until the words of his brother replayed themselves in his ear. 'Check her right arm below her elbow. I nicked her with a silver knife.' Sam quickly looked to her arm. There it was, a slash just below her right elbow.

******

"You're psychotic," Madison said as Sam tied her to a chair. "The whole 'I'm a cop' trip, God, I am so stupid."

"Well," said Sam, "I guess neither of us are who we said we were, huh?"

He ignored her pleas as he continued to tie the rope in knots. 'I can't believe I fell for it.' That kept playing over and over in his head. She had reminded him of Alex in some way, and because of that he let his guard down. Lucky for Dean it hadn't resulted in a funeral. Her insistent rambling was starting to get to him, so he told her to stop the act.

Tears were running down her face as she spoke. "It's not an act! I am not a werewolf! There's no such thing! It's made up, all right? They're not real! You know they're not real!"

Sam pointed at the wound on her arm and said, "No? Then where did that come from?"

"I don't know!"

As she made her outburst, Sam finally looked her in the eye. The tears running down his face caused his mind to flash back to a time not so long ago when someone he cared about was in the same position.

(flashback)

Dean checked the clip of his gun before slamming it back into place. Turning to the door, he pushed it open and looked upon a frantic Alex, tears streaming down her face.

"Dean please," she pleaded. "I swear it's not in me! Dean you know me!"

(end flashback)

A knock sounded at the front door and pulled Sam from his troubled thoughts. He took one more look at Madison before going to answer the front door. Dean greeted him on the other side of the door with a less than pleased expression on his face. His disgruntled words only backed up the annoyance his facial expression conveyed.

"We've gotta talk," Sam said has he pulled Dean into another room. The words Madison said caused a thought to formulate in his brain.

"She says she has no idea what I'm talking about."

"She's lying."

Dean was absolute in his certainty. Madison was a monster, and she needed to be handled in the same way they handled every other one they came across. As soon as she was dead they could move on to the next one. Sam, on the other hand, had different ideas.

"Maybe when the creature takes over, she blacks out," said Sam.

"What are you, the Dog Whisperer now?"

"Look, man, I just…I don't know, there was something in her eyes."

The brothers began to argue about the fact that if she knows it or not, Madison is killing people. They fell on opposite sides. Nothing either of them said would convince the other that what they wanted was right. Sam finally reached his limit in the fight.

"I'm not putting a bullet through some girl's chest who has no idea what's happening," said Sam.

He was pulling his phone out of his pocket when Dean spoke.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm calling Alex. Maybe she knows a way to reverse it."

******

The Latin text was becoming clearer and clearer to her. Alex was sure that it should only be a day or two more, and the book would review all of its secrets to her. She wasn't sure exactly what she was looking for, but she was sure that she could find it in this book. When the phone next to her rang, she jumped slightly. She gave a small sigh of frustration until she saw the name on the caller ID.

"Hi Sam," she said in a cheery voice.

"Hey Alex," he replied, "you sound a lot better."

"Thanks. I take it you and Dean have taken care of the little werewolf problem?"

"Actually, that's why I called. Is there any way to reverse it?"

"What?"

She listened carefully as Sam told her all about Madison. The words entered her ears and rolled around in her brain, analyzing all that he was saying. When he had stopped, she was silent for a moment as she recalled information and theories from her past.

"There is this theory," she said, "I don't know if it's true, but it says that if you kill the wolf all of the others he has turned will be free."

"Alex you're amazing," said Sam. "Thanks Alex."

The phone went dead before she could say another word. She shook her head as she smiled and placed the phone back on the table next to her. 'All right. Where are you, you demonic bastard?'

******

The sun began to appear over the horizon. All three people watching from inside the apartment held their breath in anticipation. Madison looked over at the boys and slowly spoke.

"Does…does this mean it worked?"

Sam let out a sigh of relief.

"Yeah. I think so."

She threw herself into Sam's arms saying, "Oh, God, thank you. Thank you so much."

Dean cleared his throat and alerted her to his presence. She pulled away from Sam while saying, "You, too, Dean. Thank you."

"Aw, don't mention it," Dean said.

He stood there for a moment and just looked back and forth between his brother and the young woman in front of him. An awkward silence fell on the room until Dean spoke up.

"So, I'm just gunna head back to the hotel and…watch some Pay-Per-View or something."

He turned to leave the apartment, pumping his fist in the air as he goes. The awkward moment soon returned.

"That was smooth," Madison said.

"He means well, but…"

"You mean . . . he thinks you're gunna get laid."

Alex's face flashed before Sam's eyes as Madison spoke. He couldn't deny that he found Madison attractive, but in that moment all he wanted was to see Alex.

"Look Madison, I like you but there's …"

Madison's lips crashing into his own forced him to stop from speaking before he could tell her about Alex. He didn't react at first, but after a moment he returned her kisses. Images of Alex filled his mind as he continued to kiss Madison. They had similarities. It was true. He thought he could use that to his advantage, and it had been so long since he'd been with anyone. 'I'll just pretend it's her. Our lives are too dangerous for Alex and me to ever be anything more that what we are now.'

As they moved into her bedroom, he pretended that it was Alex's hands running across his sculpted chest. It was her lips he was kissing. He knew it wasn't true, but for tonight he would pretend it was her. If he just kept his eyes closed tight, he could make it work.

******

Sam slowly opened his eyes. His surroundings were unfamiliar. Panic started to set in, but it quickly started to come back to him. 'Oh man. I've got to talk to her.' He began to look around in worry. Madison was not next to him like he expected her to be. When he looked around the room what he saw startled him. There she was, Madison, eyes blue, teeth bared, still very much a werewolf.

******

Knock. Knock. Knock.

The noise woke Alex from her nap. When Sam had called her earlier to tell her that the bloodline theory was wrong she knew she would need all of the energy she could get once they arrived. Sam sounded almost broken when he told her. She wasn't sure what had happened, but she was sure that it was more than just a werewolf hunt.

When she opened the door her suspicions were confirmed. Even though the boys had been driving for a few hours, Sam's eyes were still slightly red as if he had been crying. Dean tried to put on his usual cocky smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Hey boys. Come on in."

She pulled the door open a little wider and stepped aside to let them in. To say that she was a little surprised by Dean stopping to give her a hug would not be a lie, but it was not nearly as surprising as Sam walking right past her without even looking at her. Her eyebrows knit in confusion as she closed the door. Dean was already getting a beer out of the mini fridge, and Sam was just sitting silently in a chair.

Dean filled Alex in on what happened with Glen and Madison while Sam just stared off into space. The fact that werewolves did not know what they were had occurred to Alex a long time ago. Nothing Dean was telling her was surprising. What she really wanted to know was what had Sam so silent.

After about 10 minutes Dean's stomach announced to the room that he was starving. Alex chuckled.

"Guess that means we need food," she said. "Sam, wanna walk with me to the dinner?"

"Sure."

He slowly rose to his feet. Alex watched him in concern. 'Hopefully I can get him to talk to me.'

The walk had been silent for almost 5 minutes when Alex decided she couldn't take it anymore. She stopped walking and stood in front of Sam.

"So," she said, "when are you going to talk to me?"

Sam's head snapped for his shoes to Alex's face as she continued.

"You've hardly said two words to me since you got here. What's going on Sam?"

He sighed heavily. Thoughts of Madison and all that had transpired between them filled his mind.

"What makes you think something's going on?" he asked as he pushed passed her without ever meeting her gaze.

"Maybe because the last time you wouldn't look me in the eye you were a demon?"

Sam stopped cold and quickly spun on his heels. He quickly covered the space between them.

When his hands grasped her arms Alex tensed at the force of the sudden contact. She became a terrified little girl standing before a towering figure. She was the one suddenly not meeting the others eyes.

Sam desperately tried to find the words to tell her all that was going through his head, but words failed him. Luckily he had another idea.

"Look at me Alex." When she did not respond he shook her gently to get her attention. "Just look and see what's going on."

Understanding flashed through her brain. 'He doesn't want to tell me. He wants to show me.' She slowly raised her head to met Sam's bright eyes and let the visions and feelings wash over her.

(vision)

Sam sat quietly on Madison's couch as he watched her flutter around the room.

They shared a simple conversation before she went to bed.

Madison tied to a chair crying as thoughts of what Alex went through in a similar situation feeled his soul with sadness.

The feeling of elation that the curse had been broken.

Her lips crashing onto his.

The feel of her skin against his as he envisioned another.

Waking to find a werewolf in her place.

Her asking him to shoot her.

Tears blurring the image of her as the gun fired.

(end of vision)

Alex came back to her own and slowly blinked her eyes as reality set in. When she was able to take in Sam's face. The sadness and regret she saw there perfectly mirrored what she was feeling now.

"So," she said, "that's why you can't look at me. You shot her after pretending she was me."

Sam only nodded as a feeling a shame and regret came over him. Not only had he used Madison, but if the look in her eyes meant anything, he had just ruined whatever he had with Alex. He reached out a hand to comfort her. In that moment she knew that he wished he had never done any of it, that he wished he could take it all back. Instead, he had to live with the feeling of betraying both Madison and Alex. In one night he had hurt two amazing women. It was more than he could take.

******

There was nothing on any of the channels Dean could get to come through clearly. Eventually he turned the blasted thing off. The books and papers scattered around table caught his eye and he moved over to the pile of research and began to read all that Alex had been working on.

"What the hell?"

Before he could take in all of the information, Alex and Sam came through the door carrying food and drinks. It didn't escape Dean's notice that the tension between them was so thick that it would take a chainsaw to cut it.

"I'm gunna go take a shower," said Sam as he placed the drinks on the table before disappearing into the bathroom.

Dean looked from the bathroom door to Alex and back again.

"Mind telling me what the hell is going on?"

Alex took a deep breath before speaking.

"Sam slept with Madison and pretended it was me."

Dean's eyebrows shot through the roof.

"What?"

She slowly began to explain what had transpired on the way to the dinner. The picture slowly became clearer to Dean. 'Sam, you idiot.'

Alex placed a box of food in front of Dean before collecting her own. The two started to eat in silence before curiosity got the better of him.

"Is that the book you got from Bobby's?" he asked as he pointed to the old Latin text.

"Yeah," replied Alex without looking up.

"Who's Azazel?"

Alex looked up from the food and calmly met Dean's stern gaze. There was nothing but calm about her as she spoke, her tone completely even.

"He's the demonic son of a bitch that I'm gunna kill."


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Supernatural or any of the characters there in. Alex and the Mayfair mythology are my own.

Candles were placed around the room. Alex stood in the center surveying her work. Everything was perfectly in place. As she moved back to the book on the table her mind began to wander.

(flashback)

The boys were preparing to leave for Hollywood. To say that the last two days were tense would have been an understatement. Sam and Alex barely spoke, and neither could look at the other. None of this went unnoticed by Dean. The look of regret was so clear on Sam's face when he looked at Alex that Dean would have had to of been blind not to notice it. And Alex, well, she just looked lost in her own little world.

Dean was pretty sure he knew what was going on. Sam came clean and told him about what had happened between himself and Madison after Alex told him about her walk through his mind. He also knew that his little brother had been kicking himself for everything he's done since Dean left him alone with the she-wolf.

Alex and Sam exchanged a cold good-bye as he headed to the car. Dean decided to take his chance and say something.

"So," he said, "what's going on with you and my little brother?"

"What are you talking about Dean?"

"I can see that something's not right between you two. I also know that Sam's an idiot."

Alex grinned a little at this.

"You don't have to say that Dean. It's not like Sam and I are a couple or anything. I have no reason to feel…"

"Betrayed?" Dean let out a slow breath before continuing. "Look, if you are or if you aren't a thing… I can tell he hurt you. Just… just don't be too hard on him ok? He's always afraid that one of us is going to die on him."

She nodded her head and smiled as she moved in to give him a hug. As he was opening the driver side door of the Impala, he stopped and turned back to her.

"Hey Alex."

"Yeah?"

"Don't do anything stupid."

(end flashback)

At that moment she was pretty sure that Dean would consider what she was doing as something stupid. After taking one last look at the book, Alex began to light the candles as she said the incantation. The Latin text flowed off of her tongue as easily as if she had been speaking it since birth. She could feel the energy in the room swirl around her as the candles began to flicker before going out as she finished the spell.

"Azazel, egressus. Praecipio vobis."

The candles blazed to life to revel the yellow-eyed demon standing before her. Alex took a slow steady breath to calm herself.

The demon looked around the room in confusion before locking his eyes on the young woman before him. A menacing smile slowly spread across his face.

"Ah, Alexandra. We meet at last."

Her heart was racing. It took every ounce of self-control she had to keep her voice from shaking as she greeted him by name.

"Hello, Azazel."

"So," he said as he began to pace back and forth inside of the circle, "to what do I owe the pleasure of this summons. Your Majesty."

There it was again. A demon calling her Majesty. She quickly shook the thought from her head.

"I have some questions that you are going to answer."

He graciously bowed to her as he spoke.

"Your will is my command."

"What do you want with the Winchesters?"

The demon's yellow eyes filled with mirth as he began to laugh. The sound of his voice echoing off of the walls, making a cold chill run down her spine. If there was a physical shudder, she was able to hide it. Azazel's laughter slowly died as he locked eyes with her once again.

"I'm afraid you've got it all wrong your majesty. I don't want the Winchesters. I just want Sam."

Fear began to fill her heart. 

"Why do you want Sam?"

"Really Alexandra?" he said as he moved slowly towards her. He brushed a strand of her hair aside as he spoke. "Do you think I'm going to give away the punch line before the joke's even begun?"

He moved past her, intending to exit the room, but was stopped by an invisible force at the edge of the circle that the lite candles formed. Slowly he turned away from the invisible wall and leered at Alex.

"It's an ivisibilis carcere circle," Alex said. "You can't leave until I do."

He marched straight for her with murder in his eyes. As his hands came to rest on either side of her face, Alex momentarily gave in to her fear and let her eyes widen.

"Do you know what I could do to you?" he asked.

"You can't do anything to me. Not while I'm wearing this."

Alex reached to the chain around her neck and lifted the charm Sam gave her for Christmas.

"You think that necklace is actually going to protect you?" he said as he ripped the chain from around her neck.

The move caught Alex completely off guard. For the first time since the idea of casting this circle came to her, the thought that this plan was a bad idea was actually setting in.

"That little trinket won't stop me from hurting you. It doesn't matter though. None of us can really do any damage, Your Majesty."

He released her head and backed away. Alex's mind began to race as she watched him pace around the outside of the circle.

"What do you mean? Why do you all keep calling me that?"

Azazel slowly turned towards her.

"You mean you don't know who you are? Oh, sweet sweet little Alexandra. Why do you think you can do the things you do? Why do you think spells and incantations come so easily to you?"

"My mother was practicing witchcraft while she was pregnant."

The sounds of his laughter were so loud that Alex actually had to cover her ears. Azazel's head was still thrown back in laughter when the vibrations in her pocket caught her attention. The demon stopped laughing as she read the name on the caller ID.

"Dean?"

"Sam's gone. Demon's took him," came his panicked reply.

"What?"

Alex slowly eyed Azazel as Dean recounted his story of what transpired at the dinner. Hatred filled her eyes as she stared down the demon before her.

"I'm on my way," she said as she slammed the phone shut.

Her cold eyes leveled on the glowing yellow ones before her. A feeling of power and rage the likes of which she had never felt before coursed through her veins.

"Where did they take Sam?"

"Oh no," said Azazel, "you're not quiet powerful enough to force me to answer you just yet, but you will be."

A long silence filled the circle. The flames started to rise higher, threatening to burn them alive, as Alex's anger increased.

"Careful, Your Majesty. Don't want to trap us in here forever when your precious Sammy is out there waiting for you to come save him."

Something about the way he said Sam's name snapped her back to reality. She quickly calmed herself down as she slowly backed up to the edge of the circle. When she reached the edge she slowly looked from the line the candles formed to the demon before her she spoke. "Damittam vobis." She quickly turned and stepped over the candles as they extinguished.

Azazel stood his ground for a minute as he watched Alex run off to save the one person in this world that could match her at full power.

"Now this should be exciting," he said as a wicked smile appeared on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Latin translations:  
> Azazel, egressus. Praecipio vobis - Azazel, come out. I command you.  
>  ivisibilis carcere - invisible prison   
> Damittam vobis - I release you
> 
> Feedback welcome.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Supernatural or any of the characters found there in. Alex and the Mayfair mythology are my own.

The words of the yellow eyed demon kept playing themselves over and over again as she drove. Thoughts of what he meant by "who you really are" and the fact that she was "not powerful enough yet" were making her head spin. Just when those thoughts finally subsided, thoughts of Sam would fill her with worry and dread. "Demons took him." That's what Dean had said.

Alex could almost kick herself for not getting the information she needed from the demon before running off. The whole point was to find out what he wanted with Sam. 'Well, good job, Alex. You still don't know shit!' This played over and over again in her head as the miles passed her by. When she finally arrived at Bobby's, it was all she could do to look the two hunters in the eye. They may not know what she had done, but that did not change the fact that in her mind she had failed them.

The men were looking at maps of recent activity while Alex frantically searched the web for any sign of demonic activity that might give them a clue that could help them locate Sam.

"This is it," Bobby said. "All demonic signs and omens over the past month."

"Are you joking? There's nothing here. Alex please tell me you've got something."

The level of frustration in the man's voice made her wish that her answer was far better than it was.

"There's nothing Dean. I'm sorry."

Dean ran his hands through his hair as panic slowly began to sink in.

"Oh come on. There's got to be something. An exorcism… something…"

"No nothing. It's like they've all gone into hiding. They're just... gone."

"Well that's just great!" Dean yelled loud enough to make the other hunters in the room flinch. "Well, how are we supposed to look for Sam? What, do we just close our eyes and point?"

Alex was contemplating telling them about summoning the demon again when Dean's cellphone started to ring. Dean quickly answered the phone.

"Ash, what do you got?"

Bobby and Alex waited with baited breath as they listened to Dean's conversation. All they wanted to do was find Sam. They wanted to find him safe and sound, but from the look on Dean's face as he hung up the phone…Ash didn't have the answer either. He looked at his fellow hunters for only a second before grabbing his leather jacket and making for the door.

"I guess we're going to the Roadhouse. Come on."

The others did not hesitate as they follow. Their only hope was that Ash could lead them to Sam before it was too late.

******

Sam stood in the middle of a group of the children the demon was after trying to calm a woman named Lily as the others watched. His tone was calm and even as he weighed his words carefully.

"Lily, look, we don't know what's going on yet," he said. "I mean, we don't even know how many of them are out there right now."

When it looked as if Sam's words were having no effect on the frightened young woman a solider joined in the attempt.

"Yeah, he's right. We should—"

"Don't say "we"!" she screamed. "I'm not part of "we". I have nothing in common with any of you."

"Okay, look, I know—," Sam tried before he was cut off by the young woman again.

"You don't know anything!" She paused for a moment as memories slowly run through her brain. "I accidentally touched my girlfriend."

The group looked on in stunned silence as her words sank in. Her ability was not a gift. It was a curse. A curse that had taken the one person she cared most for in this world away from her. Sam let the words wash over him and thought of his mother, of Jessica, his father, even Alex went through his mind. He was so afraid that she would die because of the way he felt about her that he had found a way to hurt her and cause her to turn away without saying anything to her himself, and he hated himself for it.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I've lost people, too. I have a brother and a girl that I really care about out there right now that could be dead, for all I know. Hell she may not even know what's happening. We're all in bad shape. But I'm telling you, the best way out of this is to stick together."

"Fine," Lily said.

Sam nodded at her as they all turned to go into the nearest building. He thought about Dean and Alex and said a silent prayer that where ever they were they were okay, and that somehow… someway… they would find him.

The ride to the roadhouse had been relatively silent, each hunter lost in their own thoughts. Guilt was primarily what plagued Alex as she sat silently in the back seat of the Impala. Her eyes periodically shifting from Dean to Bobby until they turned the corner and the roadhouse came into view.

"Oh my god," she said as her eyes went wide in shock.

The two men in front of her just sat in silence as the car rolled to a stop a few yards from the smoking rubble. Dean and Bobby slowly got out of the car, too slowly for Alex's liking. As soon as Bobby was clear of the door, she pushed her way past and took off running for what was left of the popular hunter hangout.

The men just stood back and watched as she threw charred pieces of wood aside in hopes of finding someone alive.

"Ellen! Joe! Ash!" she yelled as she continued to dig.

Bobby looked over at the younger man beside him as they slowly walked towards the frantic woman in front of them. Neither had much hope of finding anyone alive, but they did have some hope that perhaps the people they cared for weren't in the building when it went up. Their hopes were short lived however when Alex came to a sudden stop.

"What?" Dean asked." What is it?"

Alex just started shaking her head as she slowly backed away. Involuntarily, her hand came up to grasp her necklace for comfort, but there was none to be found. The necklace still lay on the floor of the abandoned house she had summoned the demon in. The weight of Dean's hand on her shoulder caused her to turn into him and hid her face in Dean's shoulder. Dean wrapped his arm around her as he looked for the caused her distress. That's when he saw it, an arm baring a very distinctive watch sticking out from underneath a wooden beam.

"Oh, Ash, damn it!"

Bobby came up a bit closer to get a better look and shook his head sadly. Their best chance at finding Sam had literally gone up in smoke.

After searching the rubble for a few minutes more, the trio walked dejectedly back towards the Impala. Alex leaned back against the hood as Dean spoke.

"What the hell did Ash know? We've got no way of knowing where Ellen is. Or if she's even alive. We've got no clue what Ash was gunna tell us. Now, how the hell are we gunna find Sam?"

Alex turned her face away as she fought the urge to cry. She had a chance to find Sam the second she learned he was missing. 'I had him. He was right there. I should have made him tell me.' She was suddenly pulled from her thoughts as a groan emitted from Dean's throat while he clutched his head in pain.

"Dean?" she asked as he suddenly doubles over against the car.

Alex rushed to Dean's side as Bobby looked on in concern. She grabs Dean's face and forces him to look her in the eye. Pain filled her head as the fuzzy image flashed before her. It is over almost as quickly as it began. Alex stumbled back a few steps as Dean took a sharp inhale of breath.

"What was that?" asked Bobby as he looked back and forth between the two.

"I don't know."

"I think it was a vision," said Alex as she slowly pulled herself upright.

"What do you mean?" Bobby asked. "Like what Sam gets?"

"What? No! I'm not some psychic."

"There something wrong with that?" Alex asked as she placed her hands on her hips in defiance.

Dean began to fumble over his words as he tried to apologize.

Pain unlike anything she has ever known suddenly shot through Alex's head. She fell to her knees as the images started to take shape before her eyes.

(vision)

Sam standing in front of an old well.

The bell engraved with an oak tree.

Sam saying her name.

"Help us."

(end vision)

"Alex. Alex. Are you with me?"

Alex slowly came to. She found herself in Dean's arms while Bobby gently patted the side of her face. She slowly sat up and placed a hand on the side of her head.

"Hey take it easy," said Dean.

She shook her head slightly before looking the man in the eye as she spoke.

"It was Sam. . . I know where he is."

******

Sam was wrestling with an iron bar when Jake entered the barn. He reached over and pulled one of the bars from the contraption before them as Sam looked on stunned.

"I'm not Superman or anything. It's no big deal," Jake said as he looked at the bar in his hands. "By the way, I appreciate what you're doing here."

"What am I doing?"

"Keeping calm. Keeping them calm. Especially considering how freaked to hell you really are."

Sam looked at him in confusion. How the hell does he know?

"I know the look," he says as if he can hear Sam's thoughts.

They work in silence for a while before Jake asks him about the girl he mentioned earlier. Sam half chuckled half sighs. When Andy told him he couldn't get through to Dean, Sam had pulled a small object from his pocket. The small pocketknife had been left in the Impala by Alex. He was carrying it with him in hopes of being able to return it to her and apologize for all he had done.

"She's amazing," Sam said. "I've never known anyone like her. She's the kind of person who would do anything for the people she cares for you know? She's just…"

Sam trailed off as he lost himself in memories. Jake sensed that there was something more and remained silent as Sam struggled to find a way to verbalize his thoughts.

"I hurt her. I know that if Andy got through she'll tell Dean, and he'll come running. That's just the kind of person she is, but. . . I messed up, and I can't take it back. I'm not sure she really cares about me anymore."

******

Sam sat in his chair slowly nodding as he struggled to stay awake. The yellow-eyed demon suddenly appeared behind Jake. Sam startled away and tried to warn the others of the presence in the room, but nobody heard his cry. They all act as if he said nothing at all. He looked around the room as the realization that he was dreaming came upon him.

"Howdy, Sam. What do you say you and I take a little walk?"

Sam silently stood and followed him outside. Different ways to kill the demon filled his head. He was running through scenario after scenario until he realized that the demon was being far too quiet

"Where's my brother? Where's Alex?" Sam asked.

"Quit worrying about them. They can take care of themselves. I'd worry more about yourself."

"Why? You gunna kill me?"

"I'm trying to help you. That's why we're talking. You're the one I'm rooting for."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Sam stood unwaveringly before the demon as he talked about his plan for the physic children. The fact that only one of them was going to make it out didn't really sinking in. All he could think about was what had been stolen from him, what he was never allowed to have.

"You ruined my life! You killed everyone I love!" Sam yelled.

"The cost of doing business, I'm afraid," replied the demon. "I mean, sweet little Jessica . . . she just had to die. You were all set to marry that little blonde thing, become a tax lawyer with two kids, a beer gut, and a little McMansion in the suburbs. I needed you sharp on the road, honing your skills. Your gifts. That just wouldn't be right. Now Alex on the other hand . . . now that girl has quite the pair. Not many have the balls to risk summoning me."

At the mention of her name Sam when white.

"What do you mean by risk summoning you? What did you do to her?"

"Oh she's fine. No worries. I'd never hurt a hair on her head. Not that I could if I wanted to."

Sam wasn't sure if he could believe him. He wanted to. He wanted to believe she was okay with his whole heart, but his head kept telling him to press for more information about what the demon was up to. 'If I can stall him, maybe that will give Dean a chance to get here.'

"What about my mom?"

"That was bad luck."

"Bad luck?"

Sam was becoming furious as he listened to the demon talk about the circumstances surrounding his mother's death. As the demon spoke, the town disappeared and Sam found himself standing in his old nursery. He watched as the demon dripped blood into his mouth. Dread filled him as he realization what it meant. He had demon blood in him. All of the visions were because somewhere inside he was part demon.

"It's you."

When Sam hears his mother's words he knows that all of the things that had happened in his life were set in motion long before he was even born. He struggled to wrap his mind around his revelation as he watched his mother's fate begin anew before his eyes.

"Sam, wake up! Ava's missing."

He startled awake at the sound of Jake's voice. It had all been a terrible nightmare, but unlike most nightmares . . . it was actually real.

******

Alex loaded her shotgun carefully as Dean and Bobby went over the plan again. They had discussed ways of rescuing Sam the entire way to Cold Oak. They were going in together and searching each building until they found him. She didn't care how they did it. All she cared about was getting Sam back in one piece.

"Alex, you listening?" Bobby asked.

"Yeah. We stay together and search until we find him," she said as she snapped the muzzle of her shotgun into place. "Let's go."

******

Sam stared down at Jake, poised to kill him. His muscles coiled, ready to deliver the final death blow, but a voice in his head stopped him. It was Alex's voice . . . calling his name. He lowered his arm and threw the iron bar to the ground. He turned to walk away, but then he heard Alex's voice in his head again, clearer than before. It sounded again, only this time it was Dean's voice. 'Wait a second.' The sound was not in his head. His brother was actually calling his name. He began walking towards the sound.

"Dean!" he called when the trio came into view.

A smile spread across Sam's face as he laid eyes on the one person he wanted to see the most.

"Alex," he whispered as he slowly makes his way towards her. That's when a white hot pain shot through him, stopping him in his tracks.

******

She heard Sam's voice calling his brother's name. Hope began to well up inside her as she called his name again. When he finally came into view, she released the breath she hadn't know she was holding.

'He's okay. Oh thank God.'

All happiness quickly left her when a young soldier came up behind Sam with a knife.

"Sam, look out!" Dean yelled, but it was too late.

They watched helplessly as the knife was driven into Sam's back. His face contorted in pain as the blade was twisted to ensure the wound won't close.

"No!" Alex screamed as she began running towards Sam. He sank to his knees.

Dean quickly overtook her. She stopped short when she saw the look in Sam's eyes. Nobody noticed that Bobby was the only one chasing after the man who attacked Sam.

"Whoa, whoa, Sam. Sam!" Dean said. "Hey! Come here. Let me look at you."

He placed his hand on the wound in the middle of Sam's back. When he pulled it back both he and Alex could see that his entire palm was covered in the younger Winchester's blood.

Dean grabbed Sam's face and forced him to look at him. As Sam's head turned he locked eyes with Alex. She held his gaze as the lights slowly fade from his eyes. Her legs turn to jello and refused to hold her weight any longer when she watched Sam close his eyes. The gun sliped from her hand as her knees sink into the mud, and the world fell apart around her to the sound of Dean screaming his brother's name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback welcome.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Supernatural or any of the characters there in. Alex and the Mayfair mythology are my own.

Bobby stopped running and rested his hands on his knees as he struggled to catch his breath. He slowly straightened and turned to rejoin his comrades. When he got close enough to see the three hunters, he stopped dead in his tracks. Dean knelt cradling Sam's body in his arms as Alex looked on lifelessly.

Dean saw the toe of a boot on the edge of his vision and lifted his eyes to gaze upon the older hunter.

"Bobby?"

He said nothing in reply, just placed a hand on Dean's shoulder. Bobby looked at Alex's face and saw nothing. No emotion. No hint of life. It was as if she herself had died instead of Sam.

Dean began to pull himself to his feet, Sam's body still in his arms. Bobby quickly moved to help him by lifting Sam's feet. Alex did not look at them as they passed her by. Her eyes just continued to look off into nothingness as she slowly stood to follow the men.

Alex watched silently as they placed Sam's body upright in the back seat. The men did not notice her standing behind them until they turned as saw her. Startled, they jumped slightly. Bobby tried to convince her to sit upfront, but she only shook her head and moved to her usual seat in the back, right next to Sam.

The drive to the abandoned house was made in silence. Nobody had the heart to speak, and that hadn't changed in the past 12 hours. After placing Sam on a bed in one of the rooms everyone was left to their own thoughts. Few words were spoken, and what little sleep could be found was restless.

Dean stood in the doorway and watched as Alex sat silently on the floor. He had found her there that morning. It was nearing mid-afternoon and she had yet to move. She sat on the floor looking at Sam's face and holding his hand. Every so often she would run her fingers through his hair lovingly and then return her head to her arm as it rested on the side of the bed.

'He looks like he's asleep,' thought Alex as she brushed a silky strand from Sam's ashen face.

She stroked the back of his hand with her thumb as her mind ran through all of the things she wanted to say to him.

'I'm so sorry Sam. This is all my fault. If I had just made the demon tell me what I wanted to know you'd still be here. He was right in front of me, and I just let him go. I had him trapped. He couldn't leave. I should have stayed. When Dean called and said they took you I just… I'm so sorry.

I should have told you it was okay. I mean… yes I was upset about Madison, but I should have told you that you were forgiven. I couldn't stay mad at you if my life depended on it. I had no right to be mad at you in the first place. We never talked about what was going on between us. You never called me your girlfriend or anything. We just…'

One perfect tear slide down her cheek as she brought his hand up to her lips and kissed it.

Dean turned from the sad scene before him when he heard the door open and close behind him. Bobby walked in holding a bucket of chicken and a bag full of other things. Dean walked towards him and helped the older hunter unload what was to be their lunch. As he pulled the last of the sides from the bag, Bobby turned his head and gazed upon the young woman in the next room.

"Has she moved at all?" he asked.

"No," Dean replied. "She hasn't moved or said a word since I found her like that this morning."

Bobby slowly shook his head as he took in the state of the two young people he loved as his own. It tore him apart to see them both hurting that way. Dean was like a son to him. He'd been watching over him most of his life. He knew that he would never say as much, but the look on his face screamed of how broken he was to anyone who knew how to read it.

Alex was the one that he was really worried about. She had always been so full of life. Smiling and happy with a quick response on her tongue at all times. Now she just sat there in silence. Bobby wasn't sure what he should do, but he knew that if he didn't do something soon he would be stretching her out right next to Sam.

"Dean," said Bobby, "I hate to bring this up, I really do. But don't you think maybe it's time...we bury Sam."

"No."

"We could maybe..." he trailed with a sigh.

"What? Torch his corpse? Not yet."

Bobby just hung his head and gave it a gentle shake.

"Well we need to do something Dean. This isn't healthy for you or for Alex. The longer we leave Sam in there the harder this is going to be on the two of you."

Dean knew that Bobby was right, but he wasn't ready to say good-bye yet. Sam was gone. He knew that, but the longer he waited… the longer he just left Sam lying on the bed… the longer he could postpone the moment that would make his brother's death a reality.

"I want you to come with me," said Bobby, breaking Dean's quiet thoughts.

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Dean, please."

"Would you cut me some slack?"

"I just don't think you or Alex should be alone, that's all. I gotta admit... I could use your help."

Dean just snorted at his words and continued to drink from the bottle in front of him.

"Something big is going down... end-of-the world big."

"Well, then let it end!"

Those words cut through Bobby like a knife. He could not believe that one of John's boys could say something like that.

"You don't mean that,"

"You don't think so? Huh? You don't think I've given enough? You don't think I've paid enough? What about Alex huh? Has she sacrificed enough? I mean look at her. She just sits there holding on to Sam like he's some god damn life preserver or something. Isn't that enough for you? I'm done with it. All of it. And if you know what's good for you, turn around, and get the hell out of here."

Dean paused for a response, but when none came he exploded.

"Go!"

Bobby flinched and stood in stunned silence as he stared at the young man in front of him.

"I'm sorry," Dean said. "I'm sorry. Please, just go. Just take Alex and get out of here."

There was no point in fighting. Bobby could see that. He just nodded and turned towards the room containing Sam's corpse and the girl who clung to it. She hasn't moved once during their conversation. She didn't even act like she had heard them talking about her. She just continued to kneel beside the bed and study Sam's features. He took a slow deep breath before walking toward her.

"Alex," he said. "Alex… Alex…"

No response.

"Alexandra?"

Alex came out of her trance for a brief minute and looked to the only father she has ever know before laying her head back down and resuming her analysis of Sam's face.

"Sweetie come on. It's time to go. I'm getting you out of here."

She didn't move. She didn't even blink. He slowly bent down and pulled her to her feet and held her in place, her legs having lost all feeling hours before. Her grip on Sam's cold dead hand didn't loosen as Bobby began to drag her from the room. She remained almost lifeless in his arms as they slowly moved away from the bed. When the distance finally caused his hand to slip from hers, Alex's eyes went wide in terror. She started to struggle in his arms. Dean, hearing the commotion, quickly walked over to the pair, and took Alex's face in his hands, forcing her to look at him.

"Alex… Alex! It's okay. Bobby's taking you home."

The young woman stopped fighting and collapsed, unconscious into Dean's chest. A quick check confirmed that she was still breathing. He quickly scooped her up into his arms and carried her to Bobby's truck. Bobby thanked him as he buckled her in and shut the passenger side door.

"You know where I'll be," he said.

Dean simply nodded and turned to go back inside, leaving the grizzled old hunter to look after the young woman who had lost her one reason for staying in this world.

******

They had been on the road for nearly five hours when Bobby final stopped for food. As he pulled into the little dinner Alex just stared out the window. She hadn't said a word since she had come to a few hours before. Bobby parked the car and looked over at the young woman, a frown on his face.

"Alex," he said, "do you want something to eat?"

There was no response. She just continued to watch the raindrops roll down the passenger side window.

"Alexandra?"

She just shook her head, never looking over. Bobby sighed loudly before exiting the car, leaving the sad young woman with her thoughts.

******

They drove late into the night. When the finally reached Sioux Falls Bobby decided to try again with Alex. He asked her if she needed any help with her things, but she just shook her head. Bobby watched as she moved silently through the house and up the stairs to her room.

Alex lay in bed wide awake. Her eyes stayed trained on the ceiling, but she did not see it. She only saw Sam's lifeless body stretched out on the bed before her. She raised her arms above her head as she came to her final conclusion.

'I'll find it Sam. I promise. I'll find a way to bring you back.'

******

The sun was just beginning to show on the horizon when the sound of bacon and the smell of eggs woke Bobby from his slumber the next morning. When he walked into the kitchen he saw a plate laid out for him as Alex ate her own meal with gusto.

"Good to see you finally eating something," he said with a grin. "I was starting to think you were going to let yourself starve to death."

Alex glanced up at him, but her expression gave away nothing. Her eyes just took in Bobby's face momentarily before dropping her attention back to her meal.

She quickly finished her meal and washed her plate. Bobby watched with eyebrows raised as she went straight to his study and immediately started poring over an old Celtic text. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he was certain that she was up to something.

Alex didn't leave the study for hours. When she finally emerged, Bobby had hope. She looked around the living room as if she had lost something. It looked to Bobby as if she might ask him a question, but she quickly left the room and went upstairs.

When she came back down a few minutes later she was dressed in shorts and running shoes. She didn't even look at Bobby as she adjusted her ear buds and placed her mp3 player in the holder on her arm before walking out the door.

Things went on like this for 2 days. Alex rose early and fixed breakfast. As soon as she was done she would engross herself in the old volumes Bobby kept in his study. Later in the day she would disappear for hours on a run. Her evenings were spent much the same way as her mornings were, in the study. Every day after her run she would shower and resume her post until it was time to eat. She would cook dinner for Bobby and herself and read for a few more hours before going to bed.

The obsessive routine she found herself in was only a part of what had Bobby so worried. What truly worried him was the fact that she still had not said a word. One evening it finally just became too much and he decided that he had to say something.

"Alright, that's it," he said as he stormed into the room.

Alex looked up from her book and stared the man down as he continued.

"I'm worried about you. All you do is sit in her all day with these damned books. Then you disappear for hours to god knows here without saying a word. Hell I haven't heard a peep out of you since Sam died, and frankly it's starting to scare me."

She nodded at him, but said nothing. She just pushed the book she was reading towards him. The hunter picked it up and quickly read over the old resurrection spell, eyes growing wide as realization hit him.

"Don't tell me," he said as he looked back and forth from the book to the woman he loved like a daughter. "You're trying to bring him back?"

Alex nodded.

"Damn it Alex. What's dead should stay dead. You know that. Hell even if you did bring him back with this there is no telling if it would really be Sam."

She quickly stood, causing the chair to clatter to the floor. Tears filled her eyes as she looked at her mentor. Her lip quivered for a moment before she turned and went up to her room for the night.

Bobby sighed as he placed the book back on the desk and said a silent prayer to whoever was listening that she didn't do something stupid.

******

The sound of a knock at the door shattered the deathly silence that had settled over the house. Bobby went to the front door and was floored by what he saw on the other side. Dean stood slightly behind a Sam that was very much alive. As the boy's greeted him the only thought that ran through his head was Alex, what did you do? That thought quickly dissipated however when he saw the somewhat guilty expression on the older Winchester's face.

"Sam. It's good to see... you up and around," he said as he fought to keep the shocked expression off his face.

"Yeah, well... thanks for patching me up," Sam said as he patted the hunter on the shoulder and moved past him into the house.

"Don't mention it."

Dean tried to ignore the look Bobby was giving him and distract his friend and mentor by redirecting the conversation.

"Well," said Dean, "Sam's better. And we're back in it now, so...what do you know?"

"Not a whole hell of a lot."

Sam stood in the foyer and began to look around the room. There was no sound of boots on the stairs or clatter of dishes in the kitchen. His brow furrowed slightly as he continued to look for the one person he wanted to see the most.

"Where's Alex?" he asked.

"I think she's out running," Bobby replied. "She's been doing that a lot lately."

Footsteps could be heard on the back steps, and Sam quickly began to move towards the sound. He stood in the doorway and watched as Alex entered the room.

******

Music blasted into her ears as Alex came up the kitchen stairs. The run had helped cleared her head. She'd found a few leads, but nothing that would bring back the real Sam. Every time she thought she'd found the answer, a second look always showed that it would only be a shadow instead of the real thing. It was taking its toll on her. That's why she ran so much. It helped clear her mind and made it easier to keep going.

Alex was looking at the ground when she opened the kitchen door and walked towards the sink. She reached up into the cabinet and retrieved a glass. As she turned on the sink and filled it with water she thought, 'This is ridiculous. I'm getting nowhere.' After taking a long drink, she slowly turned and stopped cold.

The glass slid from her hand and shattered on the floor as she took in the sight before her. Shock radiated from her face as her eyes took in the sight before her. Sam stood in the doorway, a small smile on his face. Her mouth hung open slightly as her mind struggled to sort out what was real and what was only imagined.

"Sam?" she asked.

"Hey."

The tiredness in her limbs quickly dissipated. The last few hours she had spent running no longer mattered as her legs propelled her forward at full speed. Alex flew into Sam's arms and wrapped her legs around his waist as she clung to him for dear life.

Sam stumbled back slightly with the impact. He didn't understand her reaction, but he welcomed her embrace just the same. He took in her smell as he held her in his arms. True she was sweaty after her run, but he could still smell the lavender shampoo she always used and he could pick up traces of the soft comforting smell that was purely and simply Alex.

Her eyes were shut tight as she felt his arms hold her in place. He smelled of old leather and spice. It really was her Sam. She opened her eyes and looked at Dean. Their eyes locked as she searched his face for answers. They told her all she needed to know. She knew what Dean had done to bring back his brother, and all she could do was give him a small smile of thanks for doing what she could not as she slowly slide to the floor and took in the face of the man she was starting to believe she would never see again.

After giving Alex a few minutes to shower and change, the four hunters stood around a map of Wyoming that showed all of the demonic activity over the past few days.

"What is it?" Sam asked.

"Demonic omens," Bobby replied as he took in the sight of the young man and the girl that was desperately clinging to his hand. "Like a frickin' tidal wave. Cattle deaths. Lightning storms. They skyrocketed from out of nowhere. Here. All around here, except for one place...Southern Wyoming."

Bobby pointed to the map and indicated a circle drawn on it. Dean looked confused.

"Wyoming?" he asked.

"Yeah. That one area's totally clean... spotless. It's almost as if..."

"The demons are surrounding it," Alex finished. "Do we know why?"

"No, and by this point my eyes are swimming. Sam, would you take a look at it? Maybe you could catch something I couldn't."

"Yeah, sure," he said.

Alex quickly offered to help him take a closer look. Dean was about to jump in and offer his help as well when Bobby spoke up.

"Come on, Dean. I got some more books in the truck. Help me lug 'em in."

"Yeah," Dean said as he follows the older hunter outside.

Dean knew what was coming. He had been dreading this moment. He knew as soon as he saw the look on Bobby's face that it was not going to be a pleasant conversation. When Bobby suddenly turned to face him, he braced himself as best he could for the beating he was about to receive.

"You stupid ass!" Bobby yelled. "What did you do? What did you do?"

Dean stood in silence. There was no easy way to go about this. How do you tell someone that you chose to go to Hell? But he wouldn't have to.

"You made a deal...For Sam, didn't you? How long did they give you?"

"Bobby."

"How long?"

"One year."

This was not nearly as long as Bobby was hoping. His heart sank to the pit of his stomach as he looked at the young man before him.

"Damn it, Dean."

"Which is why we gotta find this yellow-eyed son of a bitch. That's why I'm gunna kill him myself. I got nothing to lose now, right?"

Bobby grabbed Dean angrily by the collar.

"I could throttle you!"

"And send me downstairs ahead of schedule?'

Bobby released Dean and took a few steps back.

"What is it with you Winchesters, huh? You, your dad. You're both just itching to throw yourselves down the pit."

"Better me than Alex."

That took Bobby by surprise. Why was he bringing her into this? How could him making a deal have anything to do with Alex?

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I wasn't the first one there," Dean reviled.

Bobby listened with baited breath as Dean told him about what the crossroads demon had said.

(flashback)

Dean took a deep breath before telling the demon why he had come. He wanted to trade himself for Sam. He didn't care what happened to him, all he cared about was bringing his little brother back.

"What is so special about this guy that so many people are willing to sacrifice themselves for him?" asked the demon.

"What do you mean? He's my brother."

"Oh I know, but see…you're not the only person that's come to me asking to make a deal to bring him back."

His eyebrows knit in confusion. Who else would be willing to make that kind of a deal? Then it hit him.

"Alex."

"Bingo."

"Why didn't you make the deal?"

"No can do Dean. She's already spoken for."

He listened in confused silence as the demon went on about how no demon could touch her. Their powers don't work on her. There is something else in store for her. Something that no demon could interfere with. If they were to do something to derail her destiny, it would be their end.

(end flashback)

Bobby looked at Dean in confusion as the young man finished his story. Things suddenly started to make since.

"Guess that explains a few things," Bobby said.

"What do you mean?"

Bobby told him about Alex's behavior over the past few days. It hurt the older Winchester to hear about what his friend had been going through. The fact that she didn't say a word to anyone until she said Sam's name made him wonder just how stable the young woman alone with his brother really was.

******

Alex found it hard to concentrate with Sam so near. She'd been dreaming of this. Dreaming of having him this close, of having him alive. Her eyes kept drifting from the pages of her book to his face.

Sam was doing much the same. Every so often he would glance up from his laptop and run his eyes over her form. The tension between them was thick. He was dying to say something, but he wasn't sure how to begin.

"Alex, I'm sorry," he suddenly blurted out as he shut his laptop.

"For what?"

"For everything. I never should have slept with Madison. I…"

He was cut off by Alex's fingers on his lips. She held his gaze gently, but did not move her hand.

"What do you say we forget about it? We never really talked about what we were, so what do you say we just start over?"

His lips curved into a small smile as he nodded and pressed the slightest of kisses to her fingertips. Alex returned his smile and slowly moved her fingers away. Their faces started to move closer together until a familiar voice stopped them.

"Well what do we have here?"

Alex's eyes began to light up as she saw a second person return from the dead that day.

"Ellen!" she cried before running forward to embrace her friend.

"I don't believe it," said Bobby as he placed a book on the table.

"What is it?" Alex asked.

As the hunter explained about the churches and railways, the marks on the map started to form a perfect picture.

Dean was the first to speak, "Tell me that's not what I think it is."

"It's a Devil's Trap," said Sam. "A 100-square mile Devil's Trap."

"That's brilliant. Iron lines demons can't cross."

He was right. A demon could not cross it, but as the conversation continued it became apparent who could. Colt had obviously designed the Devil's Trap to keep something in. They didn't know what that was, but what they did know was that they had to stop it.

******

Everyone laid quietly in wait as Jake slowly made his way through the cemetery. They had arrived half an hour earlier to scope out the place and come up with a plan. Now they just hoped it would work. Alex saw Jake coming and signaled to the others to take cover. Each prepared their weapons as Jake approached the crypt.

"Howdy, Jake," said Sam as he came up behind Jake, gun drawn and at the ready.

Dean, Bobby, and Ellen emerged from the shadows, each ready to fire. Alex came to stand next to Sam. Her eyes were cold and level as she stared down the shocked soldier. He looked as if he had seen a ghost.

"Wait...," he said, "you were dead. I killed you."

"Yeah? Well next time, finish the job," replied Sam.

"I did! I cut clean through your spinal cord, man."

Alex and Dean exchanged nervous looks. 'Oh no!' thought Alex. 'Think fast.' Dean was in a near state of panic as Jake continued to say how Sam could not be alive. The tension was mounting, and by the look on Sam's face, he was starting to wonder what was really going on here.

"Well I guess you missed Rambo," said Alex.

The moment the words were out of her mouth she wanted to kick herself. It was one of the stupidest things she had ever said, but it was also all she could think of at the moment. The comment still seemed to do its job. Sam quickly forgot Jake's comment and backed Alex's stance.

"What, you a tough guy all of a sudden?" Jake asked. "What are you gunna do...kill me?"

Sam replied, "It's a thought."

"You had your chance. You couldn't."

"I won't make that mistake twice."

The sound of Jake's laugh sent a cold shiver down everyone's spine. It's low clear rumble cause the very marrow in Alex's bones to turn to ice. Dean tried to shake it off by calling the man out, but the results were less than desirable when he ordered Ellen to put her gun to her head.

"See that Ava girl was right," he said. "Once you give in to it, there's all sorts of new Jedi mind tricks you can learn."

Alex demanded that he let her go.

"You'll be mopping up skull before you get a shot off sweetheart. Besides, you wanna point that gun elsewhere too,"

Sam's eyes went wide. No! He couldn't lose Alex. Not like this. He just couldn't. Panic was quickly setting in until he noticed that Alex wasn't moving.

"Sorry sweetheart," she said in a tone that dripped with sarcasm. "It doesn't work that way."

His eyes went wide in terror as he quickly turned to the crypt and placed the Colt into a slot on its door. Dean and Bobby pulled Ellen's hand from her temple just as Jake forced her to pull the trigger. At the sound of the shot, Alex and Sam opened fire on Jake. They continue to fire shot after shot until Jake fell to his knees.

The other's watched in amazement as the duo slowly moved towards the young man that lay dying on the ground. Their eyes were cold and unfeeling as they looked down at Jake. Alex glanced from Jake's terrified eyes to Sam's face. Sam turned his head ever so slightly towards her before looking Jake in the eye and firing a final shot into his head.

Dean could not believe what he just witnessed. His brother and one of his best friends had just shot a man in cold blood without blinking. They didn't even seem to care. Alex just whipped the bloody spray from Sam's face with her thumb and he gently held her wrist.

Bobby's attention was not on the younger Winchester and the woman he held as a daughter. Instead it was on the spinning pieces of crypt door.

"Oh, no."

"Bobby, what is it?" asked Ellen.

"It's Hell."

Dean pulled the Colt from the crypt as Bobby shouted for everyone to take cover. Everyone dove for cover as Sam pulled Alex behind a tombstone and covered her with his body mere seconds before the doors flew open.

Evil dark smoke poured from the open doors as the hunters cowered in their hiding place. Ellen screamed that it was a Devil's Gate. They all crept towards the gate to Hell and struggled to close its door. Dean looked down at the Colt in his hand as thunder crashed and the Yellow Eyed Demon appeared behind him. With a flick of the demon's wrist the gun flew from Dean's hand and into his own.

"A boy shouldn't play with Daddy's guns," he said as he threw Dean into the air.

The sickening thud of Dean's head against a tombstone caught Sam's attention. He screamed his brother's name as he released the door and started to run to Dean's aid.

"I'll get to you in a minute, champ," the Yellow Eyed Demon said as he pinned the man to a tree. "But I'm proud of you...knew you had it in you."

Alex was filled with concern when she saw the demon pin Sam to the tree.

"Ellen, have you got it?"

"Yeah."

At the older woman's confirmation, Alex strode confidently from the door. She looked to Sam and saw the hurt and confusion in his eyes as she heard the demon talking to Dean about his deal. Her heart went out to him, and in that moment she knew what she had to do.

"I mean..." said the demon, "you saw what your brother and his little girlfriend just did to Jake, right? That was pretty cold, wasn't it? How certain are you that what you brought back, is 100% pure Sam?"

Alex was certain. She looked into Sam's eyes a final time before turning her attention to the demon.

"It is Sam!"

The demon turned his eyes towards the sound of the voice and found Alex fixing him with the same cold gaze she had given to Jake. Words she had never heard or read before started to poor forth from her mouth. The demon froze at her words and dropped the Colt to the ground. The grass around him started to glow.

Ellen and Bobby finally managed to shut the gate and turned to see Alex forming a trap of light around the demon. Everyone watched in wide eyed confusion. The Yellow Eyed Demon stood in fear as the symbols of the Key of Salomon formed around him. Dean pulled himself from his stupor and scrambled forth to collect the Colt.

"Look at me you son of a bitch," Dean said coldly.

The demon turned his gaze to the elder Winchester and found himself looking down the barrel of the Colt. A sharp pain ripped through his chest as the final bullet Samuel Colt made moved through his body. He jerked as light and smoke erupted from his body before falling to the ground lifeless.

Alex slowly blinked her eyes and shook her head as she came out of her trance. She looked around for a moment before rushing to Sam's side.

"Sam, are you okay?"

"Yeah I think so."

Sam turned his eyes to Alex in wonderment at the things she had just done.

"How did you do that?"

"I have no idea."

Sam and Dean moved to the Impala to talk, leaving Alex alone with Bobby and Ellen. Alex's thoughts were spinning.

"Bobby," she asked, "how did I do that? Back there in the cemetery… how did I make that trap appear?"

"I don't know. I was hoping you could tell me that."

They stood in silence for a moment as Alex thought back to her conversation with the crossroads demon.

(flashback)

Alex had waited until she was sure the others were asleep before she stole Dean's keys and drove out to the crossroads to beg the demon for Sam's life. She placed her photo into the small box and placed it in the hole she dug in the ground. Before she could even stand she heard the demon come up behind her.

"Well hello Alexandra," said the demon. "To what do I own the pleasure?"

She slowly turned with tears in her eyes as she spoke.

"I want you to bring back Sam Winchester."

"And just why would I do that?"

The demon slowly walked towards Alex and began to circle her as she spoke.

"Why not just do it yourself? You have the power, Your Majesty."

Alex's brow knit in confusion at the demon's words.

"What do you mean? I don't have any power."

"Oh you poor, sweet, silly little girl. You have all the power in the world. You just have to be willing to use it."

This made no since. She had always had a certain talent for spells yes, but bringing someone back from the dead without changing who they were was far beyond her.

"I'm just a psychic. I don't have any power."

"You're no psychic," said the demon as she came to rest in front of the woman. "Besides I can't help you."

"Why not? I wanna make a deal. Me for Sam. I don't care how much time I get. You can take me now just… just bring him back."

The tears she had been fighting so hard for so long finally started to spill from her eyes. Seeing the lights leave his eyes had caused her more pain than she ever thought possible. It had already ripped her soul from her body. What did she care where it went now?

"No can do, Your Majesty. The boss has already spoken for you. So you see, even if I wanted to… I couldn't."

"But I haven't made a deal with anyone! I swear! Please, just bring Sam back."

"This deal was made for you before you were even born. If it were anyone but you asking I could do it, but not for you. You are so much more that a puny little psychic, Alexandra. Accept your power and bring him back yourself."

The demon vanished before her eyes, leaving Alex with nothing but her pain and questions she didn't know the answer too. She went numb after that. She drove back to the house and walked into Sam's room, took his hand, and had a seat.

(end of flashback)

Alex lifted her eyes from the ground as she pulled herself from her thoughts and turned her eyes to Bobby's face.

"I'm not just a psychic am I?" she asked.

"No," Bobby replied. "I don't think you are?"

"What am I? Am I a witch?"

"I don't know babygirl."

He watched with sadness in his eyes as she turned to join the brothers. The feel of Ellen's hand on his shoulder gave him a small sense of comfort as he thought about all he knew of Alex's past and had never shared with her.

******

Sam's voice broke as he asked his brother, "How long do you get?"

"One year. I got one year."

Alex froze at his words. She had been coming up behind the boys when she heard them talking about the deal she knew Dean had to of made. Sam heard her footfall on the gravel and turned to her. The tears swimming in his eyes broke her heart.

"Did you know?" he asked.

She just looked at him without saying a word.

"Alex, tell me. Did you know about Dean's deal?"

"Not all of it," she replied. "I didn't know how long."

Sam shook his head as he ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. Anger was bubbling below the surface threatening to explode when Alex's touch and voice brought him back from the edge.

"He didn't say a word to me," she said as she placed her hand on his arm. "I saw it when I looked in his eyes. He didn't say a word Sam. Anyway it doesn't matter."

She turned her attention to Dean.

"We'll find a way to get you out of it."

"No," Dean said forcefully. "No you won't."

"But Dean…"

"This is not open for discussion."

Alex was about to lay into the man when the sound of Ellen's voice stopped her.

"Well...Yellow Eyed Demon might be dead, but a lot more got through that gate."

"How many, you think?" Dean asked

"Hundred," answered Sam. "Maybe two hundred. It's an army. He's unleashed an army."

"Then we better get to work," said Alex. "But first, we need to make sure you two aren't going to be possessed. If I'm going to be riding with you for a while… I don't want to have to check your eyes every time I see you."

"What did you have in mind?" Dean asked.

"You'll see."


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Supernatural or any of the characters found there in. Alex and the Mayfair mythology are my own.

It had been nearly a week since the Devil's Gate had been opened, and there had hardly been a peep. Thousands of demon's had been let loose and none were showing their face. All was quiet on the demon front as Alex poured over a book in her hotel room. She and Sam had spent nearly every waking moment trying to find a way to get Dean out of his deal, but they hadn't found anything. She was just starting her third book of the day when she heard a knock at the door.

"Hey Sam," Alex said when she saw who was on the other side of the doo.

"Hey," he replied. "Mind if I come in for a while. Dean's uh… got company.

"Again?" she asked with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah."

Sam gave a nervous little chuckle as he rubbed the back of his neck with his right hand as he waited for Alex to move. She didn't simply move aside to let him in however.

"Let's get out of here," she suggested. "I really don't want to listen to the sounds of Dean Winchester again."

"Agreed."

Alex grabbed her room key and locked the door as they left. The boy's room was right next door to her own. As they passed by, Dean gave them a little wink before shutting the white gossamer curtains to give himself and his guest some privacy.

Sam just shook his head as they continued to walk towards the country bar across the street.

******

He took another sip of his beer as he watched her dancing with the others. Alex was trying to line dance to an old country song and laughing at her failure. Nobody around her seemed to mind either. They just talked her through it and encouraged her as she continued to try.

The sound of her laughter and the way her smile lite up her face was what held Sam's attention. She had never looked more beautiful to him. Feeling eyes on her, Alex looked up and locked eyes with Sam. He gave her a small smile. Her own grew wider before she made her way from the dance floor and over to him.

"Come on," said Alex and she grabbed his hand and started to pull him to the dance floor.

"Oh no," said Sam with a panicked look on his face. "I don't dance."

"Oh lighten up Winchester. Live a little."

Alex knew that he had given in by the way he sighed as he sat his beer down. Her smile grew even bigger as she pulled him onto the floor. They had just gotten into position when the upbeat tune turned into a slow love song.

They both just stood there looking at each other. Neither said a word as the first verse began. They only stared at each other. Alex did not take her eyes from his as she slowly reached out and took his hand in hers. Sam gulped as she placed her other hand on his shoulder.

As they began to sway back and forth, he pulled her a little closer. The words to the song start to flow over them, bringing them closer together.

'This song is perfect,' thought Alex. 'I do need Sam. I don't know what I would do if I lost him again.'

Sam's mind was filled with similar thoughts. When Alex placed her head on his shoulder, he couldn't help but pull her body flush against his and place their joined hands over his heart. 'You're amazing;' he thought as he lowered his head and leaned it against hers.

Slowly they began to pull away ever so slightly, each looking deeply into the other's eyes. His gaze dropped to her lips for an instant before going back to her blue-gray eyes. She went up on her toes. He lowered his head. Both closed their eyes as they felt the others breath upon their face. Their lips were practically touching when the sound of Alex's phone broke the spell the song had woven around them.

Quickly they pulled apart. Alex made an apologetic face as she reached into the pocket of her jeans to retrieve her phone.

"It's Bobby," she said. "I'm gunna go take this."

"Yeah sure."

Sam ran a hand down his face as he watched her walk away.

******

"Hey Bobby," said Alex as she exited the bar.

"Hey babygirl. You still buried in that damned book?"

"No. Sam and I are actually taking a break."

"How are Bevis and Butthead?"

"Good. Dean is sewing his wild oats, and Sam and I were dancing until you called," she said with a hint of frustration.

"Dancing? Sam?"

"Never mind that. What's up Bobby?"

"Well you better pack your duds. I think we've finally got a lead on all those demons that got out when the Gate opened."

"We're on our way."

Alex shut the phone quickly and went to collect Sam. She filled him in on what Bobby had told her as they walked back towards the motel. They were about to enter her room when Sam suddenly stopped.

"You go ahead and get your stuff together," he said. "I'll go tell Dean."

She realized what he was going to do about a second too late. She tried to warn him, but he opened the door before she could get the words all the way out.

He opened the door slowly and called his brother's name. She heard him say "Oh god" before quickly shutting the door. The wide eye look of shock and horror on his face sent her into pearls of outrageous laughter. The laughs were so hard that she actually doubled over.

"Shut up, Alex."

******

The Impala flew over the hill and landed roughly. Dean just laughed as his baby roared down the road. The other occupants in the car were not as happy.

"God Dean," cried Alex from the back seat. "You trying to kill us."

"Aww you're alright. My baby won't let anything happen to you."

Alex just rolled her eyes and leaned back against the seat.

"Alex can I borrow your knife?" asked Sam with a pained expression on his face.

She started to reach into her boot to pull out the bladed weapon.

"Sure I guess. What do you need it for?"

"So I can gouge my eyes out."

Alex stopped retrieving the knife and slide her pants leg back down over the top of her Doc Martins.

"It was a beautiful, natural act, Sam," said the older Winchester.

"It's a part of you I never wanted to see, Dean."

Dean chuckled as he slapped Sam on the thigh. Alex couldn't help but laugh a little herself.

"I tried to warn you, but you didn't listen."

Sam rolled his eyes and leaned his head against the window.

"Thanks for giving me time with the double mint twins. I appreciate it. They really dug the tattoo by the way. You know that wasn't a half bad idea, Alex. Still hurts though."

"Oh quit whining you big baby," she said with a mocking smile as she mimicked his voice.

******

Bobby was waiting for them outside the farm house when they arrived. The trio exited the car and instantly heard cicadas off in the distance.

"That can't be a good sign," Dean said.

"No. No, it can't," Sam replied.

Bobby greeted them with a smile. Alex came over and gave him a hug in greeting.

"Hey darling," he said before turning his attention to Dean. "So, we're eating bacon cheeseburgers for breakfast, are we?"

"Well, I sold my soul. Got a year to live. I ain't sweating the cholesterol."

Alex's mouth went into a hard line at his words. For the past week anytime he had wanted anything, that had been his excuse. Sam was bending over backwards at his brother's manipulations, and she had had just about enough of it. She was just about to say something until Sam spoke first.

"So, Bobby, what do you think? We got a biblical plague here or what?"

"Well, let's find out. Looks like the swarm's ground zero."

The hunters made their way up to the house and knocked on the door. Dean bellowed into the house, but there was no answer. He quickly picked the lock and they all entered the house. It was quickly agreed that they should split up the search to cover more ground. Bobby moved up the stairs. The boys split the front of the house, and Alex was to explore the back yard. A hand on her arm stopped her as she began to move towards the back of the house. She looked down at the hand and followed the arm up to Sam's face. He gave her a look that said to be careful. She nodded with a small smile and continued on her journey.

Alex glanced into the rooms as she passed them. Her hand was on the handle of the back door when she heard what sounded like a muffled cry coming from a room to her left. The back yard forgotten, Alex raised her gun to eye level and slowly moved towards the source of the voice. She placed her back up against the closed door and took a calming breath as she shut her eyes in an attempt to force her muscles to relax.

The door banged off of the wall as she burst into the room. The smell of decomposing flesh rushed into her nose. A family of corpses sat watching the television. Her eyes went wide as she took it all in.

"Oh god!" she cried.

The smell was quickly becoming too much for her. Alex covered her mouth with her hand as she backed out of the room. Vomit was trying to work its way up her throat. She doubled over and tried to take deep breaths to get the sickening feeling in her stomach to stop.

******

Sam was searching a room at the front of the house when he heard Alex cry out. Panic began to take hold in his chest as he raced out of the room. Dean met him in the hall.

"Did you hear that?" he asked.

"Yeah," Sam replied. "It was Alex."

The brothers quickly moved towards the back of the house and spotted Alex leaning against the wall for support as she struggled for breath. Sam quickly rushed to her side.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

She could only nod for fear that if she opened her mouth she would vomit.

"What is it?"

She pointed to the room with the family. Dean moved past them to investigate the room. Sam held Alex's face in his hands as he looked her over to ensure she was alright. Once he was convinced she was alright he moved to join his brother.

Bobby, also drawn by Alex's screams, burst into the room from another door. The hunters examined the room. They were checking the room for sulfur when Alex reentered.

"You sure you're okay?" Sam asked as he moved to her side.

"Yeah," she said with a nod. "I just didn't want to throw up."

They continued to look over the room until Dean heard a noise out front. He slowly made his way out onto the porch to investigate. Seeing nothing at first, he raised his gun and went to move around the corner. A man holding a shotgun took him by surprise and knocked him to the ground with the butt of his gun.

******

"What was that?" Alex asked when she heard the sound of something falling onto the porch outside.

Sam looked around and noticed that his brother was missing.

"Where's Dean?"

Bobby quickly suggested that they split up and come around the porch from opposite directions. Sam and Alex came around the corner and saw a black man and woman standing over Dean as he lay on the ground. The man began to raise his gun to lower a final blow to Dean's head.

"Drop it!" Sam and Alex said in unison.

The man did not lower the gun. He just trained it on the pair as he spun around. Tension mounted as both pairs stared each other down. Alex relaxed a little when she saw Bobby come up behind Dean's assailants, but he did not react the way she expected. Instead of training his weapon on them he actually lowered it.

Bobby instantly recognized the two hunters when he came around the corner.

"Isaac? Tamara?"

They quickly turned. A smile formed on the woman's face as she spoke.

"Bobby. What the hell are you doing here?"

"I could ask the same."

Isaac lowered his gun as he greeted the grizzled old hunter. Sam and Alex just looked at each other in confusion as they lowered their weapons. Neither of them knew who these two individuals were, but Bobby seemed to. That meant that they had to be hunters, and if Bobby trusted them that was good enough.

******

Alex watched as Isaac and Tamara bantered back and forth. It was cute the way they picked on each other. The fact that people could actually stay together gave her hope. Her eyes drifted over to Sam. A small smile formed on her face. 'Maybe there could be a future after all.'

Sam chuckled. These hunters had obviously been together for a while. He couldn't help but wonder how they made it work.

"So, how long have you two been married?" Sam asked.

Tamara smiled as she said, "Eight years this past June."

Isaac took his wife's hand and smiled at her as he spoke.

"The family that slays together..."

"Right. I'm with you there. So, how'd you get started?"

There was an awkward silence as the couple just looked at each other and then the floor. Sam immediately felt guilty for asking.

"Oh, you know... I'm sorry. It's not . . . that's none of my business."

"It's . . . it's all right," Tamara said.

Dean finished his phone conversation and came over to join the others.

"That was the coroner's tech," he said. "Get this . . . that whole family, cause of death? Dehydration and starvation. There's no signs of restraint, no violence, no struggle. They just sat down and never got up."

"But that doesn't make and sense," said Alex. "They had a fully stocked kitchen just around the corner. Why would anyone do that?"

"Demon attack?" Sam asked.

Bobby thought for a moment the replied, "If it is, it's not like anything I ever saw, and I've seen plenty."

"Well, what now? What should we do?" asked Dean.

"Uh, we're not gunna do anything."

Alex was a little taken aback by his statement

"Why?" she asked. "We can cover more ground that way. It will make it easier on all of us."

"We don't play well with others," Isaac said. A look of hatred came over his face, and his voice dripped with disdain as he continued. "Besides, we're not teaming with the damn fools who let the Devil's Gate get opened in the first place."

Rage boiled in the pit of Alex's stomach. 'How dare he.' She started to move towards him, but Sam extended an arm to stop her.

Tamara walked over to her husband.

"Isaac," she said in an admonishing tone. "Like you've never made a mistake."

"Oh yeah, yeah. Locked my keys in the car, turned my laundry pink. Never brought on the end of the world, though."

Alex pushed past Sam.

"Why you son of a…"

She raised her clenched fist prepared to strike. Sam and Dean jumped to their feet. Each got a hold of one of her arms and held her back. The rage on her face said more than her words ever could.

"All right that's enough," said Bobby.

"I agree," said Tamara. "That's quite enough testosterone for now."

Isaac picked up their things and stormed off. Tamara made her apologizes and told Alex and the boys that it was lovely meeting them before following her husband.

******

Sam watched as police carried the woman away. She had been killed earlier that day, and they were pretty sure that it was related to the family they had found.

Dean was inside talking to a witness. When Sam heard the bull he was feeding her he couldn't help but roll his eyes. He loved his brother, but sometimes Dean could be very full of it. He cleared his throat loudly to announce his presence. Dean looked at his brother briefly before turning back to the blonde woman before him. saying farewell.

"Dean, what are you doing?" Sam asked.

"I'm comforting the bereaved. What are you doing?" Dean replied.

"Working. Dead body, possible demon attack . . . that kind of stuff."

Dean started couching pathetically as he continued, "Sam, I'm sorry. It's just, I don't have much time left, and...got to make every second count."

Sam rolled his eyes. Dean had been laying it on thick lately and it was starting to get on his nerves. He was about to say something when he heard a woman say, "Drop it, Dean." He turned around as saw Alex in a suit and high heels with Bobby beside her just as dressed up. His mouth hung open slightly as he took in the sight before him. He had never seen her look like this. She was beautiful. There was no denying that, but the dark blue pinstriped suit accentuated her curves. The shoes made her legs look even longer, and the small amount of make-up around her eyes made them look bluer than normal. She was breath taking. He hardly heard a word Bobby said as he told them about the woman being killed simply because another desired her shoes.

"Sam," said Bobby, "what do you think?"

He was stunned. He hadn't even heard the question.

"About?"

"About wither or not a demon is involved."

"Could be. There's no sulfur or anything though."

"Well, maybe something," said Dean as he inclined his head to the security camera in the ceiling. "See? I'm working."

******

They all huddled around the screen watching the footage. They watched as a man placed his hand on the woman's shoulder and seemed to entice her to go after the shoes.

"Think that could be our guy?" Alex asked.

"I don't know maybe," said Sam.

"Can you print out the image?"

"Yeah."

"Good. I'll take it around town and see what I can find. I'm already all dressed up so I might as well."

Alex strode confidently down the street looking for a good place to start her investigation. A feeling of unease suddenly came over her. She felt like she was being watched, followed. Slowing down or stopping might give me away. She kept moving and looked around as casually as possible to find a way to watch her back. That's when she noticed the reflections in the shop windows.

The windows were acting as a mirror. She quickly decided to use those to help her find out if she was in fact being followed. She kept adjusting her pace to see if she noticed anything. Only one person stood out to her. A blonde woman seemed to be matching her perfectly. At one point, Alex even stopped and pretended to examine the display in a shop window. The woman stopped as well and continued to watch Alex. Alex took a few more steps before quickly turning around.

When she turned the woman was gone.

'Who was that?'

******

Bobby, Dean, and Alex waited patiently outside the old back roads bar for Sam to show up. They had been there quite some time already, and they were all getting tired of just sitting.

"What time is it?" asked Bobby.

Dean glanced down at his watch and answered, "Seven past midnight."

"You sure this is the right place, Alex?"

She has spent all day walking around town showing people the photo they took from the security tape. The heels she had worn were not the best choice of footwear for the mission. They hurt like hell, and the balls were a little swollen inside her beloved combat boots.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Where's Sam?"

A loud bang from the outside of the car startled everyone, causing them to jump. When they turned and looked they saw Sam staring in at Dean with a huge smile on his face. He quickly opened the door and pushed his older brother's seat forward causing Dean to grunt. Sam took his place in the back next to Alex and smile at her in greeting.

"That's not funny!" Dean said.

Alex chuckle, "Yes it was."

"Anyway," Sam said, "our John Doe's name is Walter Rosen. He's from Oak Park, just west of Chicago. Went missing about a week ago."

Alex immediately put two and two together. "That's when the Devil's Gate opened."

"Think he's possessed," asked Bobby.

"It's a good bet. So what, he just walks up to someone, touches them, and they go stark raving psycho?"

"Those demons that got out at the gate . . . they're gunna do all kinds of things we haven't seen."

"You mean the demons we let out?"

Alex sighed and placed her hand on Sam's knee. "Sam…"

He had been blaming himself for everything that happened that night. In his mind, if he had just killed Jake in the beginning none of this would have happened. He never would have died, so Dean would have no deal, and the Gate would have stayed closed.

Sam watched as Alex slowly raised her eyes to his face and opens her mouth as if to speak, but she stopped. Her eyes suddenly snap from his face to the window.

"What is it?" he asked

She pointed. The other hunters in the car turned towards the direction of her gesture and see the man they have been waiting for walk into the bar. Dean quickly moved to exit the car and had the door open when Bobby's words stopped him.

"Wait."

"Why?" Dean asked.

"We don't know what to expect out of this guy. We should tail him till we know for sure."

"Oh, so he kills someone and we just sit here with our junk in our hands?"

"We're no good dead! And we're not gunna make a move until we know what the score is."

As the argument continued on in the front seat, Sam looked over and noticed Tamara and Isaac going into the bar. Waiting it out was no longer an option. Silence fell over the car as the group watched their fellow hunters go behind enemy lines.

Alex shattered the silence, "We can't let them go in there alone. They'll be slaughtered!"

"She's right," backed Sam. "We've got to help them out."

Bobby gave a reluctant sigh before reaching for the door handle. Dean quickly followed suit and began running for the bar door. Sam called out to his brother to try and stop him, but the older Winchester wouldn't listen.

"Damn it," Bobby said as he slammed the truck closed.

He quickly tossed the others flasks of holy water before they all started after Dean. When they reached his side he was frantically pulling on the door.

"It's locked!"

Bobby and Sam started helping Dean try to break the door down while Alex looked around for another way in. When she looked through the window she could clearly see the demon's surrounding their comrades.

"Guys we've gotta move fast."

"It won't budge!" Sam yelled.

She looked around briefly until her eyes feel on the old car they had all been sitting in just minutes before.

"I've got an idea."

******

Tamara watched in horror as the demons move in on her husband. A demon handed him a large container of drain cleaner and urges him to drink. She could do nothing but scream for him to stop as he downed the poisonous liquid. Blood begins to poor from his lips as he fell to the floor. Her screams were drowned out by the laughter of the demons that were now starting focus on her.

Bobby's car crashed through the side of the bar. The hunters leapt from the car, throwing buckets of holy water on their enemies as to move toward Tamara. Sam grabbed her and pulled her toward the car. Alex pulled her into the back seat as Sam and Bobby followed suit. Dean made no move towards the car. He just continued to fight.

Sam turned and frantically started yelling at his brother, "Come on, we got to go! He's dead! Get in the car!"

Dean ignored the pleas coming from behind him and continued to fight.

"Dean, come on!"

He fought a moment longer before grabbing the demon they had followed here and pulling him towards the car. The trunk flew open for its cargo. The demon looked up and screamed in terror when he saw the symbol above him as Dean slammed the trunk closed and hopped in the car, screaming for Bobby to go.

Tamara continued on in hysterics as they speed away. The thrashing in the back seat was causing Sam and Alex to cover themselves for fear of flying elbows. Alex kept trying to grab one of her arms whenever it flew by her, but was having no luck. Finally Sam was able to get a hold of her long enough for Alex to place a hand gently on her arm.

The hysterical hunter quickly calmed. Her screams of anguish transforming into quiet tears of pain as they drove to safety.

****** 

Anyone within a half a mile would have been able to hear the yelling coming from inside the run down old house. The fight had started a few minutes ago and showed no signs of stopping anytime soon. Tamara was insisting that they go back for her husband, but Sam and Alex were doing everything they could to stop her as Dean listened from his seat in the corner.

"I'll go with her," Dean said after nearly 10 minutes.

Sam stood in open mouth wonder at his brother. "It's suicide, Dean!"

"So what? I'm dead already!"

Alex had had it. She marched forward and punched Dean square in the mouth as she yelled, "How dare you! All you have done for the past few days is use your deal as an excuse for everything. What do you think that does to the rest of us hu?"

Dean slowly straightened as he wiped the blood from his lip, eyes wide at her sudden outburst as she shoved him on the shoulder.

"You think it's helping anybody? Do you honestly think it doesn't hurt Sam, or me, or hell even Bobby when you go on and on like that? Huh? Do you? We're trying to help you Dean!"

Sam came up behind her and tried to pull her away from his brother. Nobody had ever heard the young hunter lose her temper like that before, and frankly it was scaring them.

"We don't even know how many of them there are," said Sam.

Bobby entered from the other room with a book in hand as he spoke, "Yeah, we do. There's seven. Do you have any idea who we're up against?"

"No. Who?" Dean asked.

"The seven deadly sins, live and in the flesh!"

Alex's eyes went wide as what Bobby said began to sink in and whispered, "Oh my god."

 ******

Frustration caused all of Alex's muscles to tighten. She had been trying to recreate the light circle from the cemetery ever since Tamara had exorcised Envy. He had told her that even she was not without flaw, and right now that was ringing more true than usual. For the life of her she could not remember the incantation. 'Come on Alex. You pulled it out of nowhere once. Now do it again.'

Slowly, Sam entered from the living room and watched as Alex grunted in frustration.

"No luck?" he asked.

"No," she replied with a sigh. "I've been trying for almost an hour, and I got bubkiss."

He placed a hand, gently; on her arm in an attempt to sooth her. She would get it eventually. Of that he was certain, but there was no way she would get anywhere if she tried to force it. It had just come to her once. It would do so again. Sam pulled her into a gently hug as he told her so.

Alex returned the hug gladly and drank in the comfort he offered. The lights suddenly started to flicker and the old radio in the other room came on. She pulled back and looked Sam in the eye.

"Show time."

Without hesitation he leaned in a planted a sweet, sudden kiss on her lips. As he pulled back he said, "Just incase."

She stood unblinking as what happened began to sink in. A small smile formed on her face as she moved to take her spot at the back of the house.

****** 

The demon entered through the back door and advanced on Alex. She pulled farther into the room, buying her time until he entered the trap. Suddenly the demon stopped and looked to the ceiling and the Key of Solomon painted there. A wicked smile spread across his face as his eyes zoned in on Alex.

Fear began to take over her mind when she realized the trap had failed. The demon raised his hand as if to push her back, but nothing happened. Confused, he looked at his hand and tried again. Nothing happened.

"It's you," he said. "You're the..."

Light began to emit from his body as he went rigged. The sound of tearing flesh could be heard as he fell to floor dead. Alex looked on in confusion as his falling body reviled a blonde woman holding a bloody knife.

"How did you do that?"

"Doesn't matter," the woman said. "What does matter is that if we don't get up those stairs fast your boyfriend is going to be in a lot of trouble."

Alex's feet were moving before her mind could even send the signal to her mouth to utter one word.

"Sam."

****** 

Demons held Sam down as he struggled for freedom, a blade at his throat. The sight of this caused panic to grip Alex's heart when she reached the doorway.

"Sam!"

The demon holding the blade turned at the sound of her voice. He pulled the blade from Sam's throat and moved towards her. The absence of the blade gave Sam the opening he needed. With all his strength, he pulled an arm free and began to fight the demons holding him.

Alex ducked as the blade whizzed by her head. The demon turned, and Alex prepared to square off with him again. Fire and light erupted from him as the woman from before stabbed him in the back. They quickly moved to help Sam and made quick work of the others.

Sam was so wrapped in the fight that when he bumped into Alex he turned with his fist raised. Relief filled them both as the saw the other unharmed. He quickly pulled her to him in a crushing hug.

"You're welcome," they hear someone say.

Sam released Alex from the hug and turned his eyes on the blonde woman with the demon killing knife.

"Who the hell are you?"

"I'm the girl that just saved your ass," she replied. "See you two around."

As she left the room, the hunters looked at each other in confusion. Neither sure what had just happened.

****** 

Bobby, Dean and Sam piled the bodies of the dead for burning. Tamara had already left that morning. Now it was just clean up. Alex stumbled out from the house. Her legs felt like they were full of lead and her head full of fluff. It had been a long night, and it showed.

Sam turned at the sound of Alex's footfalls. His brow knit in concern as he saw the haggard look on her face.

"You okay?" he asked as he placed an arm around her shoulder and pulled her to his side.

She just nodded as she leaned into him, exhaustion sinking in.

Dean, never short of a comment, said, "Well, you look like hell warmed over."

Alex lifted her tired eyes to his face.

"You try exorcising all night and see how great you look jackass."

Dean raised his hands in mock surrender.

"You can sleep in the car okay?" said Sam.

She nodded.

"I promise I'll make sure Dean keeps it down."

She smiled as she sank back into Sam for a moment before a thought occurred to her. "Bobby, what kind of a knife can kill a demon?"

"Yesterday I would have said there was no such thing."

****** 

They said their good-byes to Bobby after burning the bodies. Alex was still leaning heavily on Sam as they made their way to the car. The boys were talking about where they were headed next. Sam wanted to take Dean to Louisiana in hopes of breaking the deal, but Dean seemed determined to do all he could to keep the deal intact. Sam had had enough. The movement away from Alex and towards his brother was so fast that it nearly caused her to fall.

"You know what? I've had it," said Sam in anger. "We've been bending over backwards trying to be nice to you, and...I don't care anymore.I've been busting my ass trying to keep you alive, Dean, and you act like you couldn't care less. Alex spends every spare moment researching, trying to find a way to get you and of this, and you act like she's wasting her time. What, you got some kind of death wish or something?"

"It's not like that."

"Then what's it like, Dean?"

Dean had been dreading this moment. He hoped against hope that his brother would drop it, but when he saw the pleading look in his puppy dog eyes he knew he had to tell him.

"We trap the crossroads demon, trick it, try to welch our way out of the deal in any way? You die."

Those words broke Alex from her sleep deprived haze. She quickly move to Sam's side and wrapped her arms around his waist. 'I've got to find a way to break this. I've just got to.'

****** 

Weariness had worked it's way into her bones once more as she slowly opened the door to her room. Without even turning on a light or looking around, Alex just fell on the bed.

"Getting careless aren't me?"

Alex pulled the gun from the small of her back as she shot up. Eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness and spotted the blonde woman leaning against the wall at the far corner of the room.

"Who are you?" demanded Alex.

"My name's Ruby."

"What do you want?"

"To help you."

Alex relaxed her aim ever so slightly. This woman had come out of nowhere to save her life, but the suspicion would not release its hold.

"Help me with what?"

"You want to get Dean out of his deal. I can show you how."

Her eyes went wide. 'How does she know about that?'

"I've been researching for days and haven't found anything. How can you possibly know how to end it?"

The blonde closed her eyes and dipped her head ever so slightly. When she raised her eyes they were the coal black of a demon's. Alex backed into the nightstand, causing the lamp to crash to the floor loudly.

"You're a demon."

Ruby had no intention of hurting her. She made that clear. It was not going to be easy to get Alex to trust her, but if she could, she would show her things she never thought imaginable.

****** 

The sound of glass breaking in the next room caught Sam's attention. He quickly walked over to the adjoining door. When Alex joined them, they had agreed that they would always get rooms with an adjoining door and keep it unlocked in case of emergency. The knob was unyielding in his hand. The door was locked. For all he knew that crash could mean that Alex was hurt.

Dean saw his brother's panicked face.

Dean asked, "Dude what's wrong?"

"It's locked!" Sam said.

He pounded loudly on the door.

"Alex!"

He tried to break it open with his shoulder to no avail. Taking a step back, he raised his leg and kicked the door in the same way he had a million times. The wood splintered as it crashed open. Alex stood on the other side, staring at the blonde woman who had killed the demon's the night before.

"Think about what I said," he heard her say. "I'll be in touch."

The woman slowly walked past a stunned looking Alex and left the motel. Sam ran to Alex's side and started checking her for wounds. The source of the crash lay on the floor next to her feet.

"Who was that?"

"Ruby," she said in shock. "She said she could help us break Dean's deal."

Sam stopped cold.

"How? How did she even know?"

Alex just stared at the closed door the woman had walked through seconds before.

"She's a demon. . . a demon that wants to help us."


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Supernatural or any of the characters there in. Alex and the Mayfair mythology are my own.

Ever since Ruby randomly showed up in her motel room, it was decided that instead of two adjoining rooms they would just get one with a couch and trade out who slept where. That's not what happened though. The boys refused to let Alex sleep on the couch. Dean insisted that he take the couch. She tried to fight it for a few days but, it was no use. Dean just started lying down on it before anyone else could.

Sam didn't let her have a say in where she slept either. He insisted that she take the bed farthest from the door. When she asked him why, he said it was so she could be closer to the bathroom and beat Dean in first thing in the morning, but Alex knew he was lying. It was pretty obvious that they were keeping themselves between her and whatever might try to come through the door at night. It frustrated her to no end, but she could not deny that she loved the fact that they were looking out for her.

So that's how it went for the next three weeks. Dean would claim the couch, Sam the bed by the door, and Alex would sleep on the other. Dean always woke up with a sore neck and shoulders from using the arm rest as a pillow. Alex started giving him one of hers to use, but even that didn't help. So a new routine was formed. Alex made sure to get up and around first. As soon as Dean got out of the shower in the morning, he would sit in front of Alex on the floor while she rubbed the stiffness from his neck and shoulders until Sam finished getting ready and they were all ready to go get breakfast.

When Bobby had called and asked for her help with the Colt she was a little surprised. If anyone could fix a gun it was Bobby. It wasn't getting it to fire properly that was the issue. He was slowly getting that to work. Making it a demon killer, that was the issue. Whatever spell Samuel Colt had put on it disappeared when Jake used it to open the Gate. She had been looking for a way to get it to work for a couple of days, but nothing had worked. The gun didn't feel the same when it was fired. It would kill things, that was certain, just nothing supernatural.

She had been working for nearly two hours straight when the frustration forced her to go for a walk around the yard to clear her mind. After a while she felt eyes on her and turned to face Ruby.

"What do you want?"

"To help."

Alex huffed with her hands on her hips, "That's right. When you broke into my room you said you could break Dean's deal. Tell me, how exactly do you plan on doing that?"

Ruby's gaze remained cool and calm as she spoke.

"I can't, but I can show you how to do it yourself."

Alex rolled her eyes. 'More cryptic information. That's just great!' She was about to start the exorcism rite when Ruby's words stopped her dead.

"You've pulled spells out of nowhere right? Things you'd never heard or read before? You have more power than you could ever imagine.Alex. All you need is to know how to use it."

"Why should I believe you? You're a demon. Give me one good reason to trust what you say."

The blonde just stood there and stared down the hunter before her. She knew there was no way to make her understand. The only thing she could do was earn the hunters trust. Then maybe she could show her her destiny.

******

Bobby fired at the target Alex had set up for him. He looked to her and just shook his head. There was no change. Before, you could feel power surging through you when firing the Colt, now you just felt the slight kick of the gun.

Alex ran her fingers through her hair and let out a groan as she rested them on the back of her neck and lifted her eyes to the sky. As she brought her head down, her eyes locked in on something behind Bobby. The hunter noticed her quick change and spun around to see what she was looking at and saw a blonde woman looking at the both of them.

"Nice gun," she said.

"Who are you?" Bobby asked.

"That's Ruby," said Alex in cold indifference.

His eyes went wide as he asked, "The demon?"

Alex only nodded. Bobby leveled the Colt on Ruby's chest, calling her a test subject. She was not worried however. She knew that the gun would not kill her. She had been watching them over the last few days. Ruby had seen the spells Alex tried and knew that none of them had worked.

"Are you gunna stand there like a pantywaist, or are you gunna shoot . . . "she started to taunt Bobby.

He fired a single shot into the center of her chest. The demon looked down at the hole the bullet formed.

"Oww, that smarts a little."

"What do you want?" asked Alex.

"A new shirt for starters. . . Do you want me to help you with that gun or not?"

******

She slammed her fist on the desk as a disgruntle yell escaped her lips.

Alex yelled, "This is useless!"

"No it's not," said Ruby. "You just need to stop thinking about it and do it. It's all in here."

She tapped on Alex's temple as if trying to prove her point. During their hour long failed attempt at fixing the Colt, she had continually reminded Alex that she was born to it. No research was needed.

"Hell," said Ruby, "you don't even need words. Just relax. Trust me."

Alex gave the blonde demon a sideways glance as she huffed. 'Okay, Alex. Relax. Breath. Breathe and relax.' A slow steady breath left her lungs as she closed her eyes. She sat with her eyes closed for a moment as she focused on her breathing. Her hand began to move forward and came to rest a foot or so above the gun. Her eyes never opened as she continued to relax and focus on the weapon. Suddenly, the gun began to glow as a knowing smile spread across Ruby's face.

******

Dean checked the grate again, hoping against hope that the noise he had just heard was not the wind, but when he looked outside the stillness of the night was all that met him.

"Do you believe in a higher power Dean?" the demon named Casey asked. "I do."

He turned towards the demon resting inside the trap on the floor.

"You have a god?" he asked.

"Sure. His name is Lucifer."

"You mean the devil?"

"Your word, not ours. Lucifer actually means "light bringer." Look it up."

Silence once again settled over the room. Dean knew that Sam would come for him. The only question was how long it would take. The sound of his stomach rumbling with hunger was making him irritable. Hunger was never something Dean Winchester handled well, so the thought of being trapped and starving made him want to shoot something.

"He's coming back soon you know," Casey said, braking Dean from the meditation of his stomach.

He stared at her in confusion briefly before she went on.

"Lucifer . . . he's coming back. Alexandra is going to help him."

Confusion marred Dean's face. ,Alex?'

"Why would she do that?"

"It's her destiny. She is the reason we were all willing to follow Sam like Azazel wanted us to."

"Azazel?" he asked

"You think his brothers just called him "yellow eyes"? He had a name. After you did him in, it all fell apart."

"So, what? No chain of command?"

"There was," the demon said. "It was Sam. Sam was supposed to be the grand Pooh-Bah and lead the big army, but he hasn't exactly stepped up to the plate. Too bad. With her by his side we would have been unstoppable."

Dean narrowed his eyes in confusion. A question as to the demon's meaning hung on his tongue until he heard Sam calling his name. All thought of what the demon had said left his mind when his brother's face appeared in the grate. With a quick warning to be careful, Dean turned back to the demon. The smile on her face was anything but reassuring.

Sam turned to Father Gil expecting assistance. Instead he found himself staring into the coal black eyes of a demon. Panic quickly gave way to fear as an evil smile graced the demon's features. The sound of a shot being fired brought Sam back to his senses.

The demon flinched as the bullet entered his body, but he did not go down. He turned his eyes in the direction of the shot to find Bobby holding the Colt. He extended his hand and sent Bobby flying. Sam called out to the hunter as Alex emerged from the car and raced to the older hunter's side.

"Bobby are you okay?" she asked as she fell to a knee at his side.

"Yeah," he replied.

Sam came to kneel next to the two hunters in awe.

"How did you know where we..." he began to ask before Bobby cut him off.

Bobby gestured towards the gun that had fallen from his hand as he spoke.

"Go."

The young hunters looked at each other, silently asking each other if they should go. They did not wait long before Sam grabbed the gun, and they both ran towards the entrance the demon in a preacher's skin had opened up.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Sam asked

"I hope so."

When they came around the bend, Sam instantly saw the two demons kissing in the center of the room. He raised the Colt without hesitation and fired a shot into each of their skulls. Light flashed from within them as they fell to the floor, dead.

Dean looked on in stunned silence as his brother and the young woman entered the basement. Alex came to stand at Sam's side and all Dean could think about was what the demon had said earlier. 'With her by his side we would have been unstoppable.'

******

Alex and Sam moved around the motel room slowly collecting the boys' things when a voice startled them.

"Told you it would work."

They spun quickly on their heels to see Ruby. Sam raised his weapon, but the feel of Alex's hand being placed gently on his own caused him to pause.

"It's okay," said Alex. "Ruby's the one who helped me fix the Colt."

Sam looked shocked as he spoke. "Uh… thanks."

"All I did was show her she had it in here," she said with a shrug. "Maybe now you'll believe me when I tell you that you have the power to stop Dean from going to Hell."

"What do you mean?" Sam asked. "How is Alex going to be able to stop Dean from going to Hell?"

A self-confident smile appeared on Ruby's faced.

"It's in her blood. When your mother died she passed on one hell of an inheritance."

There was a strained silence as the hunters tried to come to grips with what the demon was telling them. Alex knew next to nothing about her mother. She was still a toddler when she died. The only thing she knew was that her mother had died in a fire shortly before she was dropped off at the orphanage.

"Look it up," Ruby said. "What you find may surprise you."

"Where do I…" Alex started to ask, but Ruby vanished.

The hunters looked around frantically, but there was no sign of her anywhere. Without saying another word, Alex walked over to Sam's laptop and turned it on.

"What's the password?" she asked.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to find out what she was talking about."

******

Bobby and Dean exited the diner and began to make their way towards the Impala. The words the demon had said to him the night before kept playing themselves over and over again in his head. "We would have been unstoppable." 'What does that mean?'

"Bobby?"

"Yeah."

"How much do you know about Alex? I mean really know about her."

The old hunter stopped at stared at the young man next to him.

"What are you getting' at son?"

Dean told his friend and mentor all about what the demon ha said. As he spoke, he watched the man's face for any sign of recognition or understanding. He knew that Bobby was there when her mother died, but he wanted to know what else had happened that night. If he knew everything that had happened, then maybe, just maybe, he could piece together what was really going on.

******

Her eyes grew wide as she looked at the picture form the newspaper article on the fire. The car in the background was so familiar it was frightening. There appeared to be people standing next to it, but she could not make out their faces. Slowly she began to enlarge and enhance the photo.

Sam stood back and watched with a heavy heart. He knew what she would find. There was no doubt in his mind who was in the photo.

Alex's eyes went wide as she started to put two and two together. Two men were standing in front of what was most definitely Dean's Impala, and one of them was holding a little girl. There was no doubt that the little girl was her, and the man holding her was none other than Bobby Singer.

"Dinner's here," Dean said as he came through the door and stopped dead when he saw his brother.

Sam looked at him with an expression of concern on his face before directing his eyes back to Alex. She sat in front of the computer with shock written all over her features.

Bobby made a grunting sound when he ran into Dean's back. The noise broke Alex from her stupor. She raised her eyes to Bobby's face as she turned the laptop to face him.

"Care to explain this?" she asked.

Bobby slowly moved forward to look at the image on the screen, finding his face looking back at him. He quickly looked from the image of him holding a young Alex to the woman before him. Barely contained rage was evident on her face as he tried to tell her about the hunt he and John and been on all those years ago. He told her about the things her mother had done and how they had found her crying in a corner. He told her about the way she attacked them with the flames from the candles and how the fire she started got out of control.

Alex did not move a muscle as she listened to Bobby's tale about how her mother had died. She heard every word he said, but all that registered in her mind was that he was the reason she was an orphan. He was the reason she could not find answers. He was the one that took her mother away. If he had not killed her mother, perhaps she would know what was happening to her now.

"Stop," she said suddenly. "I don't want to hear it. You lied to me Bobby. You told me you heard about the strange things happening and came to help me. You said you didn't know anything about my past. That was bullshit! You are the reason this is happening at all!"

The men were powerless to do anything as the hunter before them railed against the man who had helped raise her and turn her into the person she was. Pure hatred poured from her lips as she continued to talk about the lies she had been told. Bobby's eyes began to fill with tears at the regret he felt for never telling her the whole truth about her past.

"I should have told you," he said. "You had a right to know. I made a mistake. I know that. Just . . ."

Alex spoke with a calm steady rage, "Get out."

Her eyes were leveled on Bobby as she took slow even breaths to keep herself calm. When he didn't move her rage bubbled up.

"Get out!"

The old hunter slowly looked at the two brothers for help, but neither of them knew what to say. He just nodded and turned to leave. When he reached the door, he paused and turned to look at Alex. A single tear ran down her cheek.

"I'm so sorry."

He shut the door behind him with a heavy heart. Nobody moved as they listened to the sound of a car driving away.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Supernatural or any of the characters found there in. Alex and the Mayfair mythology are my own.

The garland hanging from the banister caught her eye as she slowly looked around the room for any hint as to what had happened a few nights before. The lights on the tree kept catching her eye and reminding her of the year before when she nearly fell putting the star on the tree, but Sam caught her.

Alex looked over at the tall hunter as he examined the fireplace. A ghost of a smile graced her face. They had kissed for the first time that day, just as the snow began to fall. Many things have happened since then. They had fallen apart but somehow managed to come back together. At least that's what she was hoping. He had briefly kissed her months ago when they thought they all might die. They never spoke about that night, but as the days passed they seemed to grow a little closer, slowly repairing the damage that had been done. Now that Christmas was here again, she was hoping a little magic would bring them together again.

Sam calling her name broke her from her reverie.

He said, "Hey come look at this."

She slowly made her way to his side and bent to see what he was pointing to.

"What does that look like to you?"

The ash made it hard for her to see, but as Alex looked closer an object stood out to her. She reached out and grabbed the object to get a closer look.

"Sam," she said with her eyes wide, "it's a tooth."

Dean listened carefully as Mrs. Walsh described what had happened to her husband. It was pretty clear that she didn't know much about what had happened, but the more questions he asked the longer Sam and Alex would have to search the house.

Sam nodded to Dean from the doorway, signaling that they were done.

"We'll be in touch," said Dean as the three of them started to walk away.

"Agents..." she called.

The hunters turned back to her.

"The police said my husband might have been kidnapped."

"Could be," Dean replied.

"Then why haven't the kidnappers called. O-or or demanded a ransom? Its three days till Christmas. What am I supposed to tell our daughter?"

Alex took a couple of steps towards her and placed her hand on Mrs. Walsh's arm.

"It will all work out fine," she said as she eased the woman's trouble thoughts with her powers. "Tell her that her daddy loves her. Call us if you think of anything else."

Mrs. Walsh nodded quietly before turning to join her daughter in the house.

"That was nice," said Sam

"Thanks."

Alex smile up at some until Dean clearing his throat got her attention.

"Find anything?" he asked.

Alex sighed as she reached into her jacket pocket. She felt around for the tooth and handed it to Dean.

"A tooth? Where was this?"

"In the chimney."

"No way a man fits up a chimney. It's too narrow."

"No way he fits up in one piece," said Sam.

"Alright, so, if dad went up the chimney. . ."

Alex crossed her arms over her chest as she spoke, "We need to find out what dragged him up there."

******

Sam and Alex had been sitting side by side on the couch researching on their laptops for almost an hour. Both had come up with the same theory.

"So," said Alex, "you think Dean is going to buy this?"

Sam let out a sigh and leaned against the back of the couch.

"Probably not, but it's all we've got."

Alex joined him in his relaxed posture and leaned her head back against couch. This Christmas is going to be nothing like the last, she thought. Her head lolled t other side to see Sam examining her. Her brow furrowed as she raised her head.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing. Just…"

Dean barreling through the door killed the moment and stopped Sam from finishing his sentence.

"So, was I right?" he asked as he placed his things on the table. "Is it the serial-killing chimney sweep?"

"Yep. It's, uh, it's actually Dick Van Dyke," quipped Sam.

"Who?"

"Mary Poppins."

"Who's that?"

Alex raised her eyebrows. There was no way someone reached his age and did not know who Mary Poppins was.

"Seriously?" she asked.

Dean shrugged, "What?"

Alex just rolled her eyes, and with a shake of her head and said, "Nevermind."

The lack of pop culture knowledge was quickly dismissed when Dean told them that Mr. Walsh was not the first person to be grabbed out of his house. There were no real witnesses. The only thing anyone was able to tell him was that they had heard thumping sounds on the roof.

Alex glanced back at her computer screen. 'This is sounding more realistic by the second,' she thought

"So, what the hell do you think we're dealing with?" asked Dean.

"Well," Sam replied, "we do have a theory."

"Yeah?"

Alex took another look at her computer before speaking. "You're not going to like it Dean. It sounds crazy.

"What could you possibly say that sounds crazy to me?"

The two hunters on the couch shared a look before turning back to the older Winchester with a shadow of a smile on their faces and said, "Evil Santa" in unison.

Dean just stood there for a moment. There was no way they were serious, but as the seconds passed and they did not say another word he realized that they did in fact mean what they said. They actually thought that Santa Clause was a psycho killer.

"Yeah, that's crazy," he said as he moved farther into the room.

"Yeah," said Sam, "I mean, I'm just saying that there's some version of the anti-Claus in every culture."

The evidence they had found was more than compelling. Alex turned her computer toward Dean as Sam gave different examples of the anti- clause from all over the world. While the Santa they were most familiar with gave gifts at Christmas, the lore spoke of a man who punished the wicked, and the more Dean heard, the more it made sense.

"So, this is your theory, huh? Santa's shady brother?"

Sam sighed, "Well, I'm just saying that's what the lore says."

"Santa doesn't have a brother. There's no Santa."

"Yeah, I know. You're the one who told me that in the first place, remember."

Alex's jaw dropped open and her eyebrows shot up. She could not believe what she had heard.

"You told Sam there was no Santa when he was a kid? What kind of a big brother are you?"

A mischievous smile set on her face. Her tone had been light and joking, but Dean didn't see it that way

"Hey I took care of Sammy for a long time. What I. . ."

Sam looked back and forth between his brother and the woman at his side. Dean's face was getting red with anger while the smile melted from Alex's face as a look of surprise replaced it.

"Dean," she said. "I was kidding. Everyone knows what lengths you'd go to for your brother."

The elder Winchester relaxed a bit at her words. He ran a hand down his face to calm himself. There was no way Alex would actually accuse Dean of not taking care of his brother. He knew that, but for some reason he took her joking comment seriously. Looking at her face, he saw the confusion written there. His brother's brow was knit together in a similar fashion.

"I'm sorry. Guess I'm just a bit grumpy. I haven't slept much lately. Anyway, I did a little digging. Turns out both victims visited the same place before they got snatched."

"Well let's go check it out," Alex said as she shut her laptop and rose to move towards the door.

******

Santa's Village was meant to be a happy place for children to run around playing with elves before sitting on Saint's knee and telling him what they want for Christmas. As Alex looks around, she realized that it wasn't nearly as happy as it should have been.

"You'd think a place like this would have snow," she said.

"Yeah," replied Sam. "It's kinda hard to invasion the North Pole when you're looking at green grass. Doesn't exactly put you in the Christmas spirit."

"Hey, speaking of, we should have one this year." Dean suggested

"Have one what?"

"A Christmas."

"I'd be down with that," Alex said.

Sam scoffs lightly. "No, thanks."

"Awe come on Sam," said Dean. "We'll get a tree, a little Boston market, just like when we're little."

Alex smiled up at Sam and spoke, "Yeah, we should. It won't be like last year, but I'll see what I can do. Remember last year Sam?"

The memory that she most wished to relieve was their first kiss. It had been perfect. Alex had been dying for the opportunity to relive it again ever since their fight with the Seven Deadly Sins. Sadly, the opportunity had not presented itself. She Thought that if they had a Christmas it might just be the thing that would help them repair what they had lost.

"Oh, come on, Sam," Dean whined

"No, just… no." Sam replied.

Dean shrugged his shoulders, giving up.

"Alright Grinch. Have it your way. I'm gunna have a look around. Why don't you guys check out the area over there and we'll meet back up in a few."

Sam just stood and stared at a cross-eyed reindeer for a moment before moving farther into the tourist trap. He remembered the year before all too well. He remembered the way the lights reflected in Alex's eyes as she put up the tree. He remembered the smile on her face when he gave her the necklace. He even remembered the snow starting to fall as they shared their first kiss. 'That will never happen again,' thought Sam. 'I ruined it.'

His eyes were down cast as they walked the path leading through the center of the attraction. Alex studied his face carefully. 'I wish he would look me in the eye. I want to know what he is thinking.' But he wouldn't look. That left only one course of action.

"Sam," she asked. "Why don't you want to do Christmas?"

He raised his eyes to her face for a moment before looking straight ahead.

"I just don't want to."

"But… why? When we had Christmas at Bobby's last year you seemed to really enjoy it. You did enjoy it didn't you?" she asked as doubt began to seep into her mind.

"Yeah I did. It's just… Christmas has not always been the best time of year for me."

The couple stopped and watched as children lined up to sit on Santa's knee.

"Did you know that I learned what my family does on Christmas?

Alex's head quickly snapped to the side to see if Sam was kidding. The look on his face told her that he was deadly serious.

"I had no idea," she said. "No wonder you don't like Christmas."

They stood in silence just looking at each other, both afraid to say a word. Alex searched Sam's eyes for some way to sooth him. It would have been very easy for her to look into his mind, but she didn't. She just watched the sea of emotion swim in his hazel eyes until a young woman dressed as an elf walked up to them.

She smiled at the pair and said, "Welcome to Santa's court. Can I escort your child to Santa?"

A look of panic appeared on both hunter's faces.

"Ugh," they said in unison. They looked back and forth between each other as they tried to figure out what to do.

"We...ugh…we don't have children. We're not together," Sam said as he frantically pointed back and forth between himself and Alex.

The elf raised her eyebrows.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I just thought..."

"It's okay," Alex said halfheartedly. "No biggie."

"What'd I miss?" asked Dean as he rejoined his companions.

A small wink was thrown in the elf's direction as he came to stand beside his brother. She grinned as a crimson blush filled her cheeks before turning to leave.

"Not much," Alex said. "Find anything?"

"Nah. You?"

"No."

Sam's eyes narrowed as he watched the Santa talking to a young boy seated on his lap. There was something in the man's laugh that caught his attention. Something just didn't feel right.

"Maybe we did," he said as he pointed to Santa walking towards them.

The trio watched as the man limped towards them. All of the lore they had found said that the creature they hunted would walk with a limp and smell of candy. Alex studied the man carefully until the sickeningly sweet smell hit her nose.

"Do you smell that?" she asked.

"That was ripple, I think," Sam replied. "Had to be."

Dean watched carefully as he passed.

"Maybe," he said. "We're willing to take that chance?"

******

They had been waiting for hours. A look at her watch reviled that that it was nearly two in the morning. Dean groaned from the front seat as he tried desperately to stay awake. Alex handed a thermos to him without saying a word. He took it gratefully, giving the woman in the back seat a slight nod of thanks. Alex returned the nod before resuming her vigil of the trailer windows.

"Ah come on," said Dean as he tried to shake a drop of coffee from the container before shooting a look at Alex.

"Sorry."

Sam noticed the slight movement inside the trailer and quickly placed a hand on Dean's shoulder to stop the exchange and draw both hunters attention. Santa was peering out the window as if looking for something or someone. He drew the shutters and the trio of hunters sprang into action.

They readied their guns as they approached the door. A quick look of understand passed between them, and Dean nodded for Sam to open the door. The younger Winchester quickly burst through the door, followed closely by his brother and friend.

Startled, Santa dropped his freshly lit bong to the floor. The hunters quickly dropped their weapons and placed them behind their backs. Alex looked around quickly for a way out before opening her mouth to sing. The sounds of her soft soprano and the words of "Silent Night" filled the room. The boys quickly tried to pick up her lead and join in. They didn't know the words, but they tried desperately to follow. Alex flinched slightly at their horribly off key voices as she motioned for them to move to the door. The trio continued to sing as the cautious backed out the door.

"What was that?" Alex asked as soon as they shut the door behind them.

"What?" Dean replied.

"You two can't carry a tune in a bucked, and how the hell do you not know the words to "Silent Night"?"

"Shut up."


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Supernatural or any of the characters there in. Alex and the Mayfair mythology are my own.

Dean was speaking to Mrs. Caldwell while Sam and Alex looked around. Apparently, her husband had been abducted the night before. Their son had seen it all. According to him, Santa came in and took him up the chimney.

The boy sat quietly in a chair over by the tree. His eyes were downcast and a look of misery sat on his face. Alex's heart broke to see him. She could only imagine what he must be feeling. When the boy lifted his eyes to her she gave him a gentle smile. He returned the smile briefly before going up the stairs to his room.

"Find anything?" Sam asked in a hushed tone as he came to stand by her side.

Alex just shook her head. There was nothing this time. Not even a tooth. They started walking to the front of the house to join Dean. As they stood there waiting for him to finish questioning the woman, Alex's eyes fell on an all too familiar wreath.

"Um, Mrs. Caldwell," she asked. "Where did you get that wreath above the fireplace?"

"Excuse me?" the woman replied.

Dean looked at his younger brother who only shrugged before looking to the woman at his side. Alex ignored the curious looks from the brothers and flashed Mrs. Caldwell her most brilliant smile..

"You see," she began, "since we are going to be in town for the holidays I'm trying to convince these two to help me celebrate. I was going to pick up some decorations later today, and that wreath is so lovely. It would be a perfect addition."

Mrs. Caldwell studied her for a moment before giving them the information for the little store downtown that was selling Christmas decorations.

"I'm sure you can find everything you need there."

Alex thanked the woman for her time before motioning her head towards the door. The two brothers nodded to the grief stricken woman before following their friend outside. As soon as they were a few yards away from the house, Dean spoke up.

"What was that all about?"

"What do you mean?" asked Alex.

"Wreaths, huh? Sure you didn't want to ask her about her shoes? I saw some nice handbags in the foyer."

"We've seen that wreath before, Dean."

"Where?"

A switch suddenly flipped in Sam's mind.

"The Walsh's," he said. "Yesterday."

"Exactly," Alex said.

"I know," said Dean. "I was just testing you."

"Sure you were."

Alex hit him lightly on the arm before crawling into the back of the Impala. Sam tried to contain a chuckle as his brother rubbed his arm.

"Shut up Sam."

******

Sam paced back and forth as he spoke to Bobby on the phone. As soon as the trio arrived at the hotel it was decided that they needed Bobby's help. Alex refused to call him. The feeling of betrayal was still too fresh for her to be able to talk to the man. So she tried to do research on the computer while Dean cleaned his gun and Sam made the phone call.

"Yeah she's here," she heard Sam say.

She quickly raised her eyes to meet his. The look in her eye and subtle shake of her head quickly told him that she had no interest speaking to her former mentor.

"She can't really talk right now. . . Yeah I will. Thanks Bobby."

Sam ended the call before turning to his comrades.

" Well… we're not dealing with the anti-Claus."

"What did Bobby say?" Dean asked.

"That we're morons. He also said to tell you he's sorry Alex."

She kept her face as blank as possible, but Sam could see the slight clinch of her jaw and twinge of regret in her eyes.

"What else did he have to say?" she asked

"That it was probably meadow-sweet in those wreaths."

Dean remained clueless to the meaning of those words, but Alex gave a sound of recognition. The older Winchester was beginning to get frustrated until they explained that it was probably the most powerful plant in pagan lore. It was used in sacrifice rituals to call the gods to their offerings. When Dean did not seem to understand the connection between the two, his brother explained that nearly every Christmas tradition was pagan.

"Christmas is Jesus' birthday." Dean said.

"No," Sam replied. "Jesus' birthday was probably in the fall. It was actually the winter solstice festival that was co-opted by the church and renamed "Christmas"."

"But the Yule log, the tree, even the Santa's red suit, that's all remnants of pagan worship," chimed Alex.

Dean looked back and forth between the two hunters in bewilderment. The amount of random knowledge they pulled from their brains never failed to amaze him.

"How do you guys know that? What are you gunna tell me next? Easter bunny's Jewish?"

"No," said Alex. "He's pagan too. Easter is actually a pagan fertility festival. That's where they get the colored eggs and the..."

Dean quickly cut her off. "Okay I get the point. So you think we're dealing with a pagan god?"

"Yeah, probably Hold Nickar, God of the winter solstice." Sam said.

"And all there Martha Stewart wannabes, buying these fancy wreaths… "

"It's like ringing the dinner bell," said Alex. "And in return Hold Nickar gives them mild weather."

It explained so many things. It was the middle of winter in Michigan and there was no snow. It was all becoming clear. Now they just had to find who was making the wreaths. If they could find who was making the wreaths, they could stop the gods.

******

When they arrived at the shop to question the owner about the wreaths, Alex decided to take the opportunity to do a little shopping of her own. Sam kept telling them he didn't want to do Christmas, but something in his eyes told her otherwise. They had locked eyes briefly at Santa's village. She didn't try to dig into his thoughts, but one flew at her. He was scared. Dean's time was running out, and he didn't want to waste time on Christmas when they hadn't found a way to save his brother. Saving Dean was the only thing that mattered to him.

It hurt her that he hadn't said anything to her. True, she hadn't exactly been sharing much with him lately either. They had agreed to start over and let the past be the past, but it had never actually happened. The kiss they shared shortly after Sam's return was the last. Alex knew she was putting up a wall to protect herself, but if she wanted to be close to him again she would have to take it down.

The boys casually walked to the counter as she looked around the store. She didn't see any of the wreaths, but she did see a small tree and light set that would work perfectly in their hotel room. She made a mental note to come back for it later. It was only a half mile or so from where they were staying. She could easily slip out to get it when the boys were buying food. A smile grew on her face as she hatched a plan to bring Christmas to the boys, and hopefully get Sam to smile again.

******

"So a lady named Madge Carrigan made them," she asked Sam as they sat in the hotel room waiting for Dean to return with food.

"Yeah," Sam replied. "Apparently she just gave them to the guy for free."

"Those wreaths have to be worth a couple hundred dollars. Think she's our little sacrifice queen?"

"I don't know, maybe. I think we should all go check it out in the morning."

"Sounds good to me."

An uncomfortable silence filled the room as the two sat on their individual beds and tried their hardest to ignore each other. The tension in the room grew to such extent that Alex was finding it hard to breathe and finally gave in.

"Sam," she said, "we never really did start over did we?"

He closed his laptop and looked at her in furrow browed confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"We said we were going to put everything that happened behind us and start over, but we haven't. We used to talk Sam. All the time. Anytime something was bothering us we would tell the other and know that they would listen. No questions asked. Why don't we do that anymore?"

"I don't know," he said. "I guess it's just not that easy to forget what happened. I hurt you Alex. I don't want to do that again."

"Then you won't."

She rose from her bed and quickly moved to sit beside him on his own. He didn't look at her. His eyes studied his hands resting in his lap. The bed shifted slightly with the addition of her weight, but he didn't look up until her small soft hand reached out to clasp his own.

"Sam," she said. "I trust you, and I want to be able to talk to you again. I want you to tell me why you don't want to do Christmas. I want to be able to talk to you about things that are worrying me. I. . . I want my Sammy back."

He looked up and saw tears swimming in her eyes.

"I want that too."

A small smile formed on her lips as he placed his large calloused palm on her cheek. A tear began to fall, but Sam quickly brushed it away with his thumb.

"Guess what I saw Sammy," Dean bellowed as be burst into the room.

'Damn it Dean,' Alex thought.

"What?" his brother answered with a sigh.

The sigh caused him to look up and see the two hunters sitting closely together on the bed. The way their hands were clasped and the proximity of their bodies told him that he had just interrupted a tender moment between them.

"I ugh..." he stammered. "Remember that wreath Dad brought home that one year."

"Do you mean the one he stole from, like, a liquor store?"

"Yeah, it was a bunch of empty beer cans. There was one just like it at the place down the street. I bet ya I could convince the guy to give it to me for twenty bucks. What do you say?"

"Since when are you Bing Crosby all of a sudden? Why do you want Christmas so bad?"

"Why are you so against it? Alex is down for it, and you had a good enough time last year. Were your childhood memories that traumatic?"

"No, that has nothing to do with it."

"Then what is it Sam?" asked Alex and she gently stroked the back on his hand with her thumb.

Sam looked down dejectedly.

"It's your last year Dean."

"Yeah I know that's why I. . ."

"No Dean you don't know. I can't just sit around, drinking eggnog, pretending everything's okay. When I know next Christmas you'll be dead. I just can't. When I look back I want to remember the way it was last year. When we were happy, and there wasn't a deal hanging over your head. Not us sitting here waiting for you to die. I don't want to remember Christmas like that."

Stunned silence filled the room. It all suddenly made sense to Dean and Alex. The holiday was not the problem. Dean's death was.

******

Dean raised his eyes when he saw the Carrigan house. It looked like Christmas had exploded on it. There were lawn ornaments and lights everywhere. You could even hear music playing.

The three hunters slowly made their way to the front door. They didn't really have much of a plan. Alex figured that if she could get a good look inside the house, she would know if they were the ones behind the attacks. If nothing else she could look inside their heads. The boys stood behind her as she knocked on the door, ready to fight at the first sign of trouble.

Alex turned to the boys and said, "Just follow me lead."

A pleasant looking gray-haired woman answered the door shortly after the knock.

"Yes?"

Alex quickly plastered the most pleasant smile she could muster on her face.

"Please tell me you're the Madge Carrigan who makes the meadowsweet wreaths," she said in a tone slightly higher than her normal speaking voice.

"Why, yes I am."

"Oh thank god!"

She quickly launched into a story about seeing a wreath at someone's home. She told the woman how much she loved it and how upset she was when they found the shop had sold out. Claiming she was new in town and that she and "her brothers" did not get to spend the holidays together very often, she said one of her wreaths would help make it so special.

"You wouldn't happen to have one I could buy from you do you?"

"No," Madge replied. "I'm afraid those were the only ones I had for this season."

"Oh no," whine Alex.

Dean rolled his eyes at her theatrics, thankful she wasn't really like that.

"Tell me something," he said, "why did you decide to make them out of meadowsweet?"

"Why, the smell, of course! I don't think I've ever smelled anything finer."

"Yeah it does smell nice," said Sam.

An older gentleman came to stand beside the woman and asked her what was going on. Alex and the boys just smiled at the man as his wife told him they were asking about the wreaths. When he offered them peanut brittle, Dean was all too happy to accept and would have taken some if Sam had not slapped his hand away.

Alex thanked the couple for their time and turned to the boys, signaling that it was time to go.

"Think they know what's going on?" asked Dean.

"I'm not sure yet," she replied. "But they sure as hell aren't the Cleavers."

******

Dean and Alex sat on the couch sharpening evergreen stakes while Sam researched on the computer. There was something off about the Carrigans. They were all certain of that, but that was not enough for them to search the house. What they needed was evidence.

"I knew it," they heard Sam say from across the room. "Something was way off with those two."

Dean asked, "What'd you find?"

"The Carrigans lived in Seattle, last year, where two abductions took place right around Christmas. They moved here in January. All that Christmas crap in their house wasn't boughs of holly."

"I noticed that too," chimed Alex. "It was vervain and mint."

"Pagan stuff?" asked Dean.

"Serious pagan stuff."

"So what, Ozzie and Harriet are keeping a pagan god hidden underneath their plastic-covered couch?"

"Maybe," said Sam.

Alex looked at the two brothers for a moment.

"I guess there's only one way to find out."

******

The dark of night hid the Impala well as the hunters made their way towards the silent house. All the lights were out in the windows. Sam and Alex readied their steaks as Dean picked the lock. He pushed the door open carefully and paused to listen for any sign of the Carrigans.

Dean could not help but point out the plastic covered couch as they passed through the living room. Alex rolled her eyes at him before moving into the kitchen with Sam.

Nothing seemed to be out of place. If anything, it was all too perfect. There was no dust or dirty dishes. No items were askew. A cold shiver ran down Alex's spin as she took it all in. A door around the corner caught her attention. She motioned for the boys to come take a look.

"Stay behind me," Sam told her as they started to make their way down the stairs.

Dean followed silently as they pulled out their flashlights and forced their eyes to adjust to the darkness. The first thing they noticed was the blood on the floor. Alex let out a small gasp and raised a hand to her mouth when she saw what looked like entrails on a table.

The hunter's spread out around the room. Everywhere they turned was a new horror; a new device designed to destroy a body. This was no ordinary basement. This was a butcher shop.

Alex was looking at a blood stained bag hanging from a hook when she heard a grunt behind her. She turned to see Dean fall to the floor before she found herself flying across the room.

Sam screamed her name as he watched the young woman hit the wall hard before collapsing to the ground. He started to move towards her but was stopped by a hand around his throat. Surprise was evident in his face when he realized that it was none other than Madge Carrigan shoving him up against the wall.

"Gosh, I wish you all hadn't come down here," she said as Sam watched her face distort momentarily before falling unconscious himself.

******

Sam slowly began to come too and saw the ropes tying him to his chair. His head quickly snapped up to see Alex across from him and Dean at his side. They were sitting around a table in what he could only presume was the Carrigan's kitchen.

"Alex. Dean."

The two hunters slowly start to come around. Dean tossed his head back and sighed in frustration at the situation while Alex struggled to release herself from the ropes, but it was no use.

"You guys okay?" Sam asked.

Alex lifted her eyes to look at his face.

"Yeah, I think so," she said.

"So, I guess we're dealing with Mr. and Mrs. God. Nice to know."

Dean started to make his usual snide remark but was interrupted by the return of the gods.

"Ooh," said Madge, "and here we thought you three lazybones were gunna sleep straight through all the fun stuff."

It did not take Alex long to realize what they had in store. There was no hope of escape. They had come to destroy the pagan gods feasting on innocents. Instead they found themselves on the menu.

"We used to take over a hundred tributes a year and that's a fact," Madge informed them. "Now what do we take? What, two? Three?"

Her husband paused in his pipe smoking to answer, "Nancy Drew makes four, and the Hardy boys here make six."

"Now, that's not so bad, is it?"

Sam did his best to loosen his restraints without being noticed. 'If I can get my hands free I can get us out of here,' he thought.

Alex on the other hand was trying not to panic. Her head was still ringing from being thrown into the wall. Everything she looked as was fuzzy round the edges. The thought that she might have a concussion ran through her mind. She narrowed her eyes, try and focus in on the subtle movements of Sam and Dean's hands, but her eyes quickly shot wide when she realized what the Carrigans intended to do. 'They're not just going to kill us. They're going to eat us. Think fast Alex. Think fast.'

"Wait," she blurted. "You can't sacrifice us. The meadowsweet. You used the last of it to make wreaths. You can't perform the ritual without it."

"Why aren't you the clever one," Edward said.

"Actually," said Madge as she pulled one small wreath from under the table. "I do have this one left."

"Wonderful! Who should we use it on honey?"

"Oh I don't know. . . The boys look delicious, especially this one," she said pointing at Dean, "but we haven't had a young woman in such a long time."

"That settles it then. We'll eat here and save the others for later."

Sam and Dean quickly stopped their work and stared at Alex's face. Her eyes went wide as the wreath was placed around her neck and panic began to grip her soul. She quickly looked from one Winchester to the other. Her eyes locked with Sam's and she could see that he was just as terrified as she was.

"No!" he yelled. "Let her go. Take me instead. I'm the one you want!"

"You'll get your turn," Edward said with a frighteningly pleasant smile on his face.

He picked up a sharpened blade from the table as his wife placed a simple white cloth on Alex's lap. Her eyes followed the knife as he brought it down on her right arm. She hissed in pain as the blood started to flow freely from her arm and collect into a bowl underneath her chair.

"Leave her alone you son of a bitch!" Dean yelled.

Sam held Alex's frightened gaze as he worked to free his hands.

"Here you go honey," said Edward as he handed the blade to his wife.

Alex could feel tears coming to her eyes as any hope she had of getting out of the situation started to fade.

"No please," she begged, but the woman continued on as if she hadn't heard her.

Dean called her a bitch when he saw her slice into Alex's flesh for a second time. Not being able to free himself to help her was worse than being hurt himself. She was tough. He knew that, but he would rather die a thousand times than see someone he cared about hurt. Alex was on that very short list, and he'd be damned if he watched her die the way he did his little brother.

Madge, hearing his outburst, turned and slowly moved to stand in front of Dean.

"Oh, my goodness me!" she exclaimed. "Somebody owes a nickel to the swear jar. Oh, do you know what I say when I feel like swearing? Fudge."

"I'll try and remember that!"

Alex could feel the warm blood still dripping from her arms as the bowl was carried over to the table. Edward sat the bowl down and grabbed a wicked looking set of pliers. When she saw the implement in the man's hand she knew what was coming next and balled her hands into fists in anticipation.

Sam's eyes went wide as he realized that they intended to do remove a fingernail from the woman in front of him.

"Alex. Alex!" he yelled. "Look at me. Don't look anywhere else just keep looking in my eyes okay?"

She nodded as she fought back the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes. The feel of her hand being forced open tempted her to look down, but the desperate pleading in Sam's voice focused her to focus on Sam all the more to try and ignore the pain she knew was coming.

Dean started to thrash wildly in his chair as Edward started his torture.

"You fudging tough her again and I'll fudging kill ya!" he yelled as he fought his restraints.

Madge smiled at him and said "very good" as Alex's bloodcurdling scream ripped through the air.

Her head was thrown back and her face contorted in agony as the nail was ripped form it's bed. The world around her was starting to spin. A fog of pain and fear was making it impossible for her to focus. She could hear Sam calling her name in the distance, but she could not tell where the voice was coming from. The world was just a wash of colors and sounds that she could not place or sort. She prayed for unconsciousness to take her and make the nightmare end.

The gods looked over their handiwork with unpleasant expressions. Something was missing.

"I forgot the tooth."

Both boys froze in their seats. Alex didn't even realize what was about to happen as the man took her face in his hand and opened her mouth. The sound of the boys yelling her name did not even register in her mind until she felt the cold metal on the inside of her cheek suddenly snapping her to awareness. She began to fight and struggle against the hand holding her face.

The sound of the doorbell ringing caused everyone in the room to pause. They all looked at each other and waited to see what would happen.

"Somebody's gunna get that?" Dean asked as his brother let out a breath he did not know he was holding. "You should get that."

The god relented and released Alex's face to follow his wife to the door and send whoever it was away. All three hunters watched carefully as the couple left the room, waiting to spring into action. Sam was the first to move. The slow steady work on the bindings at his wrists had left him with the unmistakable beginnings of rope burn, but he was able to loosen them enough to slip the ropes and reach for the knife hidden in his boot.

Dean was right behind is brother.

"Thank god they didn't check us," he said.

"Yeah no kidding," Sam said as he cut himself free.

Both Winchesters ran to Alex's side and started cutting her restraints.

"You okay?" Sam worriedly asked.

"Yeah," Alex nodded, "just get me out of here."

When the ropes around her wrists and ankles fell away, she gave a sigh of relief as she finally stood. Her legs started to give way beneath her. Sam quickly caught her as Dean looked for an exit and formulated a plan. He signaled for Sam to help Alex through one door as he went through the other.

Sam could hear the gods returning and knew there was little time to let Alex get her bearing. He threw her arm around his shoulders and pulled her from the room as quickly as possible. He helped her rest against the arm of a chair before throwing himself against the door to keep the gods from getting through.

Dean secured his door and ran to help Sam push the cupboard in front of the other.

"What do we do now?" Dean asked. "The evergreen stake's in the basement!"

Alex looked around the room. Her eyes came to rest on the Christmas tree across the room. Rising from her position, she hurried to knock over the tree.

"Guys help me!"

They ran to towards the tree as quickly as they could. Dean suddenly collided with what felt like a brick wall. Edward dove on top of him and wrapped his hands around his throat as Sam and Alex toppled the tree.

Sam quickly broke one of the smaller limbs and moved to rescue his brother. Just inches from stabbing the god in the back, his wife intercepted the assault.

"I loved that tree," she said before slapping Sam hard across the face.

She raised her hand to hit him again, but a pain ripped through her chest. Looking down, she saw a small branch from her beloved tree sticking through her body before falling to the floor.

The sound of the woman's body hitting the floor caused her husband to turn and cry out at the sight. Dean took advantage of the distraction and hit the man hard across the face. He heard his brother calling his name and turned just in time to catch the limb he had thrown. Dean rose to his full height and drove it into the man's chest.

"Told you I'd fudging kill ya."

******

Alex took another swig of whiskey as Sam finished the last stitch on her arm. The left had been fine, but Madge had been a little heavy handed when cutting her right one. She watched as he carefully wrapped it in white gauze, his fingers grazing her arm ever so slightly. A chill ran up her spin and caused her to shiver and pull back from his touch...

"God I'm sorry," Sam said. "I didn't mean to. . ."

"No it's okay. It didn't hurt."

She tried to flash him a reassuring smile, but he just stared at the wall to his right. He didn't even face her.

"Sam?"

She placed her hand gently on his arm. The look on his face broke her heart. Tears swam in his eyes as he brought them to her face. Alex took a step towards him and placed both hands on either side of his face.

"I thought I was gunna lose you," he began. "When I saw you tied to that chair. . ."

Alex used her thumb to wipe away the tear that slide down his cheek.

"I don't know what I would have done. I can't lose you."

As he spoke, Sam ran a hand through her curls and let his hand come to rest and the back on her neck. They looked into each others eyes and felt like they were home. The world melted away as their lips finally touched. Alex's lips were soft and warm against his own as he rose to his feet. Alex's arms slid up and around his neck as he deepened the kiss.

Both were wearing smiles when they finally pulled away. Something in the corner of her eye caught Alex's attention. She tilted her head to look past Sam and chuckled when she looked out the window.

"What?"

Alex just pointed. Sam turned and saw fat white flakes of snow starting to fall outside. He chuckled.

"Let's do it," he said.

"Do what?"

"Christmas."

A smile lite her face.

"I was hoping you'd say that."

Sam watched in confusion as Alex ran to her bed. He chuckled and asked her what he was doing only to receive one of her megawatt smiles he had missed so much. Disappearing behind the bed, she retrieved the Christmas decorations from the store they had visited a few days ago.

"When did you get all this?" Sam asked in amazement.

Alex smile and proceeded to tell him about sneaking off to the store when he and Dean were out. Christmas was the only holiday she ever really got to celebrate growing up. The orphanage didn't do much for Easter or Thanksgiving. Sure they got to eat turkey and hunt for eggs, but it was usually just turkey sandwiches and there was never more than one egg per child at most. If you didn't find one fast, you didn't find one at all. Christmas on the other hand was always magical. The decorations made the sad little building come to life with warmth and laughter. Everyone got their own gift. Usually just something small, but it was all their own.

He listened carefully as she told him all about the Christmases she spent there and how Christmas always seemed to make things better no matter what. Warmth and affection spread through him as he watched her flutter around the room with the decorations. He walked up behind her and placed his hands on her hips.

Alex stilled at his touch. She slowly turned in his arms and held up the package containing the "Merry Christmas" banner.

"Help me open it?" she asked.

He smiled.

"Sure."

Sam leaned down and gave her a soft kiss as he took the package from her hand. She smiled up at him sweetly before going to set up the tree. He wanted his last Christmas with Dean to be special, and now because of Alex it would be.

******

Dean stopped short when he entered the motel room.

"What's all this?" he asked.

Sam smiled at his brother and said, "What do you think it is? It's Christmas."

"Surprise!" said Alex.

Dean looked around the room in wonder. A small tree had been put up and a Christmas banner hung on the wall. He grinned as his brother handed him a class of eggnog for his approval. The taste that hit his tongue was anything but pleasant. He forced a happy look on his face until his brother turned around. It was everything he could do to keep from laughing when Alex pointed at the eggnog and made a gagging face behind his brother's back.

The three all took a seat around the television. Dean was the first to speak.

"All right, first thing's first."

He reached down and grabbed something from the bag and handed a small bundle to both Sam and Alex.

"Merry Christmas guys."

"Aww thanks Dean," Alex said with a smile.

The smile quickly faded when she looked inside the little brown bag. She reached in the bag and pulled out Midol and a box of tampons.

"Really Dean?"

"You're welcome," he replied with a cheeky grin.

Sam tried hard not to laugh at the look on Alex's face as he reached into his own gift. He laughed whole heartedly as he pulled out his own gift.

"Skin mags!" he laughed. "And. . . shaving cream"

"You like?" Dean asked.

Sam nodded yes and smiled at his brother. When he looked at Alex, she raised an eyebrow at him. She looked from his face to the magazine in his hand. He just shrugged at her and earned a shake of the head.

"Well," said Alex, "I guess I should give you guys your gifts too."

She got up and walked over to her bed to retrieve the gifts from underneath. She walked back towards the boys with two small wrapped packages.

"Here ya go," she said as she handed them to the boys and resumed her spot on the couch next to Sam.

They slowly opened their gifts. Dean's held breath mints and mouth wash. He raised an eyebrow at her in question.

"It's for all those 'extra onions' you like so much."

Sam laughed, "I told you Dean."

"Shut up."

Sam opened his and started laughing. Inside was a new pocket knife and lighter. Alex looked at him quizzically.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

Sam leaned over and picked up a paper bag to give to her. She looked inside and started laughing as well. Dean threw his head back in laughter too when Alex pulled out the exact same pocket knife and lighter she had just given Sam.

It was Dean's turn to open his gift from his brother. What he saw brought a smile to his face.

"Look at this," he said as he pulled out a power bar and a bottle of oil. "Fuel for me and fuel for my baby. These are awesome. Thanks."

An awkward silence settled over the room. Now that the gifts were done, there was nothing left for them to focus on except each other.

"Sam," Dean said, "what made you change your mind?"

"It's like you said Dean. It's your last year. I didn't want it to just be us working another case."

Dean nodded. Alex looked over at Sam and gave him a weak smile as she squeezed his knee in a gesture of comfort.

"Hey, Dean," Sam started but hesitated.

He sighed as he looked around the room briefly.

"Do you feel like watching the game?"

"Absolutely."

Sam nodded and stood to turn on the TV. Dean smiled as he watched his brother put his arm around the girl he loved like as if she were his sister. As unstable as their life was, in that instant he knew one thing was certain. No matter what happened to him, Sam would never be alone.

"Merry Christmas," he said.

Sam and Alex repeated his sentiment before turning their eyes back to the game. Nothing more was said that night. Nothing more was needed.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Supernatural or any of the characters there in. Alex and the Mayfair mythology are my own.

Dean wrapped the towel around his neck as he exited the bathroom. He couldn't help but smile when he looked over and saw the woman sleeping on his brother's shoulder. It had been like this ever since Christmas. Alex had fallen asleep on Sam's shoulder during the game. When he picked her up to take her to bed instead of taking her to her own he had carried her to his. He told Dean to take the other bed and assured him it would be alright. Alex had been sleeping next to Sam ever since.

"Rise and shine lazy bones."

Alex opened one eye and growled when she saw Dean standing over them with a smile on his face. She rolled onto her side away from the smiling Winchester; Sam quickly followed her and wrapped an arm around her to pull her close.

"Aw guys come on," whined Dean. "We've got a case. A woman in Massachusetts spit out her own teeth before dying."

This got the two sleepy hunters attention.

"Fine," said Alex stretching. "I'll go get in the shower."

She gave Sam a quick kiss on the cheek before throwing back the covers. Dean flinched a little as if he was going to see something he didn't want to, but was relieved when he realized she was in her usual tank top and boxer shorts. He shouldn't have been surprised. As if the shirt his brother was wearing wasn't enough of a clue; he should have known that his brother wouldn't try anything with him in the next bed. He had thought about it though. Dear God had he ever. Just the thought of Alex next to him was enough to set him off at times. Having her in his arms night after night was paramount to torture. 'I've got to talk to Dean about going somewhere else for a night,' he thought. He wanted to make their first time special, and having his brother on the other side of the room was anything but.

"Your turn," said Alex as she emerged from the steamy bathroom.

Sam rolled from the bed and gave her a quick kiss before treating himself to a very cold shower.

******

There was nothing suspicious about the Dutton house, at least nothing supernatural. Every house looked the same, but this one felt different. The moment Alex entered the house there was something in the air that she couldn't place, a feeling she couldn't describe.

They introduced themselves as members of the CDC and followed Mr. Dutton up stairs to the bathroom where it all happened. As they climbed, the feeling got stronger. A mild tingling sensation spread through Alex's limbs, causing her to shiver. Sam noticed the change in her demeanor and placed a hand on her shoulder. His eyes asked her what was wrong. She simply shook her head and continued to climb the stairs.

Dean started asking the man questions while the others looked around the bathroom. The tingling had turned into a strong pull.

"Sam," said Alex as she gestured to the sink.

He quickly bent to examine the cupboard beneath. It only took a moment for the light from his flashlight to land on a small pouch. Sam pulled it out from under the sink and held it up to Alex, confusion written all over his face. Alex looked almost shocked as she held the small object in her hand. 'How did I do that?'

Dean was questioning Mr. Dutton when they exited the bathroom, "Anyone that might have a reason to hurt her? "

"Wait, what are you saying? That somebody poisoned her?"

"I'm just saying we have to cover every base here."

"Well, I mean, what kind of poison?" he asked. "You think a person could have done this?"

"Would anyone want to? "

"What? No, no, there's just no one that could've…"

Alex studied the man's face as he spoke. She caught his eyes briefly as her trailed off. The image of a dark haired woman suddenly flashed across her mind.

"Mr. Dutton?" she asked.

"Uh," he replied, "everyone loved Janet."

She just nodded at him, not believing a word. Dean thanked him for his time and signaled for his brother and Alex to follow him.

"I think we've got everything we need," he said. "We'll get out of you way now."

Sam gave a weak smile and nodded as he followed the other two hunters to the Impala.

"That dude seem a little evasive to you?" Dean asked.

Alex answered in the affirmative.

"There was definitely at least one person he could think of that might want to hurt Janet," she said. "When he trailed of he thought about a dark haired woman."

"Affair?"

"Who knows?"

Sam pulled the parcel from under the sink out of his pocket and placed it in his brother's hand.

"Hex bag," he said.

"Awww gross."

Sam went on to detail the bags contents.

"So you found this under the sink?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, actually… I think Alex did. How did you know to look there?"

Alex looked at her feet as she searched for the words. This was not going to be simple to explain. The boys were used to unusual things happening around her. That was certain, but feeling a hex bag was something she knew would raise eyebrows.

"I could feel it," she said softly before raising her eyes to meet Sam's.

"What?"

Dean raised his eyebrows. 'Knew it,' she thought.

"That's a whole new level of weird," the eldest Winchester quipped.

"Thanks for the support Dean," Alex retorted.

Dean felt a little guilty for his remarks. He knew that Alex was more than freaked out by all of the things she seemed to be able to do. Changing the topic seemed to be the best way to fix things.

"So," he said, "we're thinking witch?'

Sam confirmed his suspicion. Whoever they were dealing with was not the simple modern day goddess worshiper either. They were into some serious black magic, the kind of which never resulted in anything good. Alex could not help but think about what Ruby had been telling her about herself. Ruby's voice kept ringing in her head, telling her that she was the most powerful witch on the planet. The fear that she could be capable of doing what had been done to Janet Dutton did not sit well with the young hunter as she crawled into the back of the Impala.

"I hate witches," Dean said as he took his place behind the steering wheel.

"Gee thanks."

"No not you. You don't run around spewing your bodily fluids everywhere."

Sam turned to her, "It's true Alex. You've never tried to hurt anyone."

She gave the boys a weak smile. The boys had her back. She knew that. It was true what they said, she didn't go around casting spells to hurt people or using her blood to call an evil spirit to do her will. Everything she did just seemed to come from somewhere inside of her.

"Anyway," she said. "I think we should tail this guy for a while. Whoever that woman was, she definitely had it in for Janet Dutton and could be after him next."

******

They had been following the man for hours, and nothing had happened.

"You sure that this woman he thought of is after him?" Dean asked.

"Pretty sure," replied Alex." Either way, somebody wanted Janet Dutton dead. It's pretty easy to assume that they would want him dead too."

Sam continued to watch the car as his brother and girlfriend spoke. There had been no sit down talk about what they were, but since she slept next to him every night and stole a moment with him whenever possible he assumed that they had move beyond friendship.

A sudden movement inside the car across the way caught Sam's attention.

"Guys look."

Paul Dutton spilled from the driver's side of the car. Dean yelled for them to move it as they watched the man crumple to all fours on the ground. Alex was practically pushing Sam out of the car to get to Mr. Dutton. As she ran forward the tingling and pull started up again.

"Sam check the car," she yelled.

Dutton continued to choke and gasp for breath as Dean tried to hold him upright. Alex begged Sam to hurry as she tried to at least ease the pain he was feeling.

"Got it!" Sam yelled as he pulled the hex bag from under the dashboard. He pulled the lighter he got for Christmas from his pocket and lit the hex bag.

Paul started to breathe a bit easier as the spell lost its power.

"What the hell is happening to me?"

"Someone murdered your wife and now they're trying to kill you. That's what's happening to you," Dean said.

"That's impossible! There's no way…"

Alex quickly cut him off, asking about the woman with the dark hair. Whoever she was, she was serious, and Alex didn't feel like waiting around for her to attack somebody else. "Who is she?"

"An affair…a mistake. She was un-balanced. She was blackmailing me, and I put an end to it a week ago."

"What's her name?" Sam asked.

"What could she have to do with it..?"

"Paul," Alex said with annoyance in her voice, "what's her name?"

******

The hunters approached the house with caution. Lights were on but nobody answered when they knocked. Dean checked the door and found it was unlocked. The second the door opened Alex could feel it, the pull, the tingle. There was a hex bag somewhere inside.

Dean took point, gun raised, as they slowly investigated the house. He turned on the living room light and stopped short when he saw the woman lying face down on the table surrounded by blood.

"That's a curveball," he said.

Sam agreed as he and Alex came into the room. Dean lifted her right arm with the barrel of his gun.

"Three per wrist, vertical. She wasn't fooling' around."

The pull was so strong Alex could barely stand.

"I don't think she's the one that went up the road," Alex said as she bent to look under the table.

There it was. A small brown bag tucked into the corner of the underside of the table. She stood back up and held it out to Dean.

"Okay, that's just creepy," said Dean. "Stop it."

"I can't Dean. Hell I'm not even trying. It just happens."

The two stood looking at each other for a moment. Neither could explain it, but Alex was connected to these witches' talismans for some odd reason.

Sam didn't even try to interject in their conversation. He was too busy examining the makeshift altar. The smell of the rotted meat and insects on the platter in the center was repulsive. Vomit came up and hit the back of his tongue. He covered his mouth and forced it back down.

"Looks like she was working some heavy weight evil here," he said.

Dean nodded his agreement before turning. The dead rabbit hanging from the ceiling caused him to jump a mile.

"Oh god! Freakin' witches! Seriously man, come on!" he yelled.

Sam stood and moved to stand beside his brother.

"Guess we know where she got the rabbit's teeth from."

Alex's eyes landed on the book of shadows lying on the table and slowly started to circle the table. Kneeling next to the table, Alex started to flip through the pages. One of the pages caught her eye. 'This could be it,' she thought. She looked to the brothers to make sure their backs were still turned before removing the page and placing it in her jacket pocket.

"I think we should get out of here," she said as she stood.

"Agreed," Dean said. "I'm gunna call this in."

******

Dean had stayed at the motel to look some things over while Sam and Alex went after food. Alex hadn't said much since they left Amanda's house. All she could do was think about what it all meant. Why could she feel the hex bags? That was the question that kept repeating itself over and over again in her mind, and no answer would come.

Sam looked at the woman by his side in concern. Alex was usually outgoing and full of life. The only time she was this quiet was when she was worried about something. Over the year and a half or so he had known her, he learned that whenever she had something on her mind she became quiet and reserve while she tried to figure it all out. When Dean had told her about her reaction to his death he was torn apart. The fact that she hadn't been talking scared everyone, but Sam knew just how far she could go into her mind when that happened.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Alex snapped her head to the side to look at Sam.

"What do you mean?"

"You haven't said a word since we left that witch's house. You're never this quiet unless something is bothering you. What is it?"

She sighed. Of course Sam would notice. He knew her better than anyone.

"I just . . . why can I feel them Sam?"

"Feel what?"

"The hex bags. Why can I feel them?"

"I don't know."

"Do you think that could mean that I'm like them?"

Sam saw the fear in her eyes as she spoke. She was truly terrified of what it could all mean.

"No," Sam said as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "There is no way you are like them. You don't hurt people. You use your powers to help them. You could never do what they do."

A tear slid down her cheek as she gave him a weak smile. He always knew what to say to set her mind at ease. He returned the smile as he brushed away the tear with the back of his hand. They didn't know what was going on, but they were certain they could find a way through it if they worked together.

******

"So you think we have a coven on our hands?" asked Alex as they pulled into the suburban neighborhood.

Dean had looked things over the night before. He was certain that there was a coven in town. Amanda had killed the Duttons. There was no doubt about that. What had him convinced that there was a coven was the fact that someone had used some heavy weight evil to off her after the fact. He had discovered that she was part of a book club. They figured that the best place to start in finding the coven would be to ask the book club what they knew.

The hunters exited the car and made their way towards a woman gardening in her front yard.

"You must have a green thumb," said Sam as they approached.

The woman raised her head to look at the three hunters in suits and asked, "Excuse me?"

"Getting these herbs to grow out of season like this, quite impressive."

"I'm so sorry," said Alex. "We didn't introduce ourselves. I'm Detective Overdrive. These are my partners Detectives Bachman and Turner."

They flashed their fake badges. The woman stopped the work in her garden and stood.

"We're following up on Amanda Burns' death," Sam lead, "going around the neighborhood and talking to neighbors and stuff like that."

"But didn't she. . . I mean she killed herself right?"

Alex noticed the nerves look on the woman's face and took note of the slight tremor in her voice.

"Maybe," Alex said. "We can't rule anything out yet. It's our understanding that you were friends with the deceased. Is that correct?"

"Yeah I guess so."

"Did you have any idea about her practices?" Dean asked.

When the woman asked them about the practices Alex described the scene of Amanda's death. She watched carefully for any sign that she actually knew what was going on. The woman's breathing was starting to become more rapid, and Alex was about to move in for the kill when two woman stepped in to stop her.

"Elizabeth, you alright?" the blonde asked.

"I'm fine uh Renee," the woman they now knew as Elizabeth replied. "These are detectives. They say Amanda was . . . she was practicing. . ."

"I'm sorry detectives. You can tell that Elizabeth is a little bit upset.

Dean flashed his best lady-killer smile.

"Of course, Miss?"

"Mrs. Renee . . . Van. . . Allen," she drug out in a haughty tone. "Would you like me to spell it for you?"

Alex leveled her gaze on Renee's face.

"No, that's alright," said Alex. "But I would appreciate it if you would drop the attitude. We're just trying to do our jobs here."

Renee looked dumbfounded as if nobody had ever spoken to her like that before. Alex just smiled. The other woman name Tammi quickly stepped in to apologize and say how hard they were all taking it. A shiver ran down Alex's spin at the sound of her voice. She was sure that this was the coven. There was definite power coming from this trio, and that Tammi was the ringleader. They assured the woman that they would be in touch. The hunters turned and walked back to the car. As they moved away Alex could not shake the feeling that they had somehow just painted targets on their backs.

******

As the trio drove around town later that night Sam regaled them with the astounding luck the women had experienced as of late. The contests and finances alone were enough to suggest that they were using a little black magic to help themselves along.

"Do you think they killed Amanda to keep up appearances?" Alex asked from the back seat.

"Seems like an appearance kind of crowd don't you think?" said Dean.

Alex nodded and leaned back against her seat.

"If they killed the nut-job should we uh . . . thank them or what?"

"They're working black magic too Dean," Sam said. "They need to be stopped."

"Stopped . . . like stopped?"

Sam gave his brother a look that left no doubt to his meaning, and he was right. As much as the hunters may not like the idea of killing a human it did not matter. These women were murderers. They were using magic to kill. If they didn't stop them, there was no telling how far they would go.

Dean let out a "what the hell" as he skidded the car to a stop. A blonde woman stood in the middle of the road waiting for them. Alex instantly recognized her as she exited the car.

"Ruby."

"Alex listen to me. There's no time."

"What do you mean?"

"You and Sam have got to get out of town now."

Realization suddenly dawned on Dean. He knew where he had heard that name before.

"So this is Ruby huh?" he said as he raised the Colt and took aim at her chest as he cocked it. "Never had the pleasure."

Sam tried to convince his brother to lower the weapon. Shooting Ruby would not do any of them any good. She had promised to help Alex find a way to save Dean, and saving his brother was priority number one for Sam.

"Alex please just go. You all need to get in the car and go right now."

"Hey hot stuff," said Dean, "we can take care of a few kitchen witches, thanks."

"I'm not talking about witches, you jackass. Witches are whores. I'm talking about who they serve."

Alex became confused for a moment until Sam spoke.

"Demons. They get their power from demons."

Her blood ran cold. This was the one thing Alex had feared the most. Ruby had convinced her that she was a witch. She accepted that, but she still didn't know why. She was plagued with questions as to the source of her power. /Is that where I get it? I didn't ask for it. I never made a deal.' Her thoughts were cut short when she heard Ruby say her name again.

"Alex it knows you're in town. It's going to come after you all. It wants Sam out of the way so it can have you for itself."

Sam involuntarily placed his arm around Alex and pulled her close. There was no way in hell he was going to let a demon lay a hand on her. He would die first.

"Oh come on, what is this huh?" Dean asked. "Please tell me you're not listening to this crap!"

"Put a leash on your brother Sam, if you wanna keep him."

Sam tried to calm his brother as he continued to hold a confused and frightened Alex in his arms. Dean would hear none of it. No matter how many times any of them told him what she said was the truth, Dean was convinced that it was a trap.

"I'm telling you the truth!" Ruby screamed.

"And I'm telling you to shut up bitch."

"I'm sorry, why are you even a part of this conversation?"

"Oh, I don't know maybe because he's my brother and she's my best friend you black eyed skank!"

"Oh right, right. You care about Alex and your brother so much. That's why you're checking out in a few months, leaving them all alone?"

Alex instantly knew Ruby had hit a nerve. She looked quickly back and forth between the two as the yelling match reached a boiling point. Everything started to move in slow motion as the one person who could help her save Dean and keep Sam from going through what she had when he died looked their impending doom in the eye. Her mind began to race as she watch Dean's finger tighten around the trigger. If Dean shot Ruby it would all be over. They would never find a way to save him

"Dean no!" she screamed as she tried to free herself from Sam's protective grip.

Sam realized what she meant to do and quickly pushed her behind him and lunged for Dean's arm. He did not want her to be struck by the bullet if anything went wrong. He forced his brother's arm into the air just as the shot rang out. The older Winchester looked at his brother in shock and fury before quickly looking back to the demon Ruby, but she was gone.

******

"What the hell were you thinking?" Dean bellowed as her stormed into the motel room and switched on the light.

"What? What the hell was I thinking?" Sam replied.

The fight Alex knew was coming ever since Sam stopped Dean from shooting Ruby had finally begun. The fact that it hadn't started during the drive back amazed her. Alex wanted to step in and stop it, but when the Winchester boys had a fight it was best to just stand back and watch the fireworks. The last time she had stepped in and tried to stop a fight from going to blows, she ended up with a black eye herself.

Sam tried to reason with his brother by pointing out all of the things Ruby had done for them, including fixing the gun Dean wanted to shoot her with. No matter what his brother said he refused to listen. He turned from his younger brother and went to splash water on his face as Sam continued.

"Look, we have to start looking at the big picture Dean, start thinking in strategies and…and steps ahead. It's not so simple. We're not . . . we're not just hunting anymore. We're at war."

"Are you feeling okay?" Dean asked as he dried his face with a towel.

"Uh, why are you always asking me that?"

"Because you're taking advice from a demon for starters, and by the way, you seem less worried about offing people. It used to eat you up inside."

He was right. Alex had noticed it too, but she wasn't going to say anything. The last few months had been tough. The closer they got to Dean's deadline the more tightly strung Sam became. He just wanted to save his brother. She knew that, but Dean had a harder time reading his brother.

Dean could not believe what was coming out of Sam's mouth.

"I'm worried because you're not acting like yourself."

"Yeah, you're right. I'm not. I don't have a choice."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Look Dean, you're leaving right? And I gotta stay here in this craphole of a world without you. So the way I see it, if I'm gunna make it , if I'm gunna fight this war after you're gone and keep Alex safe, then I gotta change."

"Change to what?"

"Into you. I gotta be more like you."

Alex noticed the way Dean hunched slightly as he stood. The look of discomfort that flashed across his face where fleeting, but they were enough for her to be concerned. He started to grip his stomach as he sat down hard on the bed. Something was wrong.

"Dean?" she asked. "What's wrong?"

Dean started to moan in pain as Alex rushed to his side. Profanities started to escape his lips and the pain in his gut intensified. Something was wrong. Something was very very wrong.

"The coven, it's gotta be the coven."

Sam stared tearing the room apart, searching for a hex bag. He stared opening cupboards in the bathroom and checking under the sink as his brothers pained voice rang in his ears.

"Alex where is it?"

"I don't know! I. . . I can't feel anything!"

She turned her attentions to Dean, writhing in pain on the bed. She placed her hands on him to try and lessen the pain. Dean shook his head at her, not wanting her to take on any of the pain, and tried to sit up. The effort caused him to start coughing. Blood spurted from his lips, causing Alex to panic.

"Sam hurry!"

He took out his knife and started ripping into the mattresses in desperation. Dean fell to the floor, taking Alex with him, coughing more blood.

"Dean, I can't find it!"

Tears were in Alex's eyes as she looked at Sam. All she saw there was anger. She held Dean in her arms as his body was wracked with another round of blood filled coughs. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Sam rummaging through his brothers bag. When he pulled out the Colt, she knew exactly what he intended to do.

"Sam no!" she yelled, but it was too late. He was already out the door.

Alex rocked back and forth on the floor as she cradled a dying Dean to her chest. 'This can't be happening. You have to do something. Think, Alex . . . think!'

"Dean," she said. "I'm going to try something. Just hold still."

Realizing what she wanted to do, Dean started shaking his head as she placed her hand on his stomach.

"No," he choked out as he tried to pull away.

Alex placed her left hand on Dean's abdomen and focused on not just pulling out the pain, but on taking his ailment as well. He started to feel stronger as Alex grew weaker. She started to shake slightly as Dean's eyes rolled back in his head before slamming shut. Then there was silence.

Dean came to a moment later. He blinked slowly, trying to force his eyes to focus. His head rolled to the side, eyes growing wide when he saw Alex laying there unmoving, eyes closed.

"No, Alex!" Dean yelled in a panic as he scrambled to her.

He shook her shoulders, willing her to wake up.

"Come on… come on…"

She didn't move, didn't breath. He shook her violently as tears started stinging the back of his eyes.

"Damn it Alex!"

She gasped for air as her eyes shot open. Her body arched off of the floor before slamming back down as she coughed. Dean let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. The coughing subsided, and Dean helped Alex move to a seated position.

"Are you okay?" he asked as her looked her over.

"Yeah," she replied in a raspy voice. "I'm fine. We need to stop Sam. He . . . he went after the witches."

Dean helped her to her feet before heading out to stop his wayward little brother.

******

They could see Sam pinned to the wall through the window of Mrs. Renee Van Alan's home. Dean quickly pulled his gun and prepared to enter; Alex close on his heels.

"What?" Ruby called to them as she ran up the sidewalk. "You can't go in Alex. If they get you it's all over."

She was so confused. It was only one demon. They had fought demons before. Why was it so different now? It didn't make any sense to her, but it did to Dean. After what she had just pulled off it was easy for him to see why a demon would want to get their hands on her.

"Stay here," Dean told her. "Keep an eye out. If there's any sign of trouble then you can come in okay."

Alex gave a somewhat hesitant nod. Ruby offered to stay with her. Dean gave a quick look of thanks before charging in after his brother. They watched as Dean quickly met the same fate as Sam. "That's it! I'm going in." Alex started to move towards the door, but Ruby pushed her back and went in herself. Frustration and anger boiled in her veins as she watched Ruby make slow progress towards Tammi. They were talking about something, but Alex couldn't hear.

Ruby approached with caution. If this was going to work she would have to be perfect in her timing. "Tammi" knew her well. She tried to convince her that she just wanted to be of service again, and that the Winchester boys were proof of that. When she saw the little smile on the woman's face she decided to make her move. She was fast, but the demon saw it coming and blocked the attack before throwing her across the room as Alex watched. Alex took a slow deep breath, turned, and proudly strode into the room

"Let them go!" 

A blue circle of light appeared around Tammi, and she turned to look at Alex, a small smile on her lips. Alex moved with purpose as she approached the demon trapped inside her circle.

"I said let them go."

"Ah you don't have that power yet," Tammi said, "even if you are the great Alexandra Mayfair."

Alex furrowed her brows in confusion. "That's not my name. Nice try though."

"Oh but it is." She walked forward, but was stopped by the power or the spell. "Just because you tell everyone your last name is Thomas doesn't make it true."

The demon studied the look on Alex's face. She did not seem to understand what was being said.

"You mean you don't know?"

Alex narrowed her eyes as the demon laughed.

"You don't do you? You have no idea who you are. Huh . . . who would have thought that the matriarch of the great Mayfair line would be so clueless? I expected you to be . . . more."

Sam and Dean slowly started to slide down the wall as the circle weakened the demon's power, and Tammi told Alex about her family.

"Unlike Ruby here, you were born to this. That's right," she said as she saw the look of surprise on Alex's face. "She was one of mine. I turned her out a long, long time ago. Ruby here was a witch. Of course that was when she was human. She was never one quite like you though. She sold herself to me for power. You . . . you were born with it. Just like everyone else in your family. Control of the elements. Immunity from the creatures of Hell. It all comes with the territory, but you…. You are so much greater than that. You are greater than all of them. With your help we could. . ."

But she never finished. She froze as Dean began to stab her in the back with the demon killing knife Ruby had dropped earlier. After a moment, he dropped the body to the ground and just stared at Alex. She was completely dumbfounded. 'I'm from a family of witches… How is that even possible? Witches have to make deals.'

A noise in the corner caught their attention. Sam was still struggling to his feet after having what felt like the weight of a greyhound bus against his chest for so long.

"Are you all right?" Alex asked as she ran to his side.

"Yeah I'm fine."

"Go," said Ruby as she struggled to get to her feet. "I'll clean up this mess."

The hunters started to protest, but the solid black of her eyes and no nonsense tone of her voice caused them to drop it and leave the demon to her work.

******

Sam splashed water on his face to clear his mind. What a night? He looked at himself in the mirror as he dried his face with the scratchy motel towel. The tension in his shoulders slowly released as he let out a slow shuddering breath before exiting the bathroom.

Alex was sitting on the bed with her knees drawn up to her chin. She had wrapped her arms around her legs and was just staring at the laptop in front of her when he saw her.

"Alex?" Sam asked, voice laced with concern.

She lifted her eyes to meet his, and the haunted look in them broke his heart. Tears were swimming in her eyes. He had never seen her look so broken and defeated in his life. Her hallow eyes followed him as he moved to sit beside her.

"I can't find anything," she said. "Every time I look up Mayfair the only witches I find are in those stupid Anne Rice books." She let out a forced laugh. "Guess she had to get her inspiration from somewhere." Sam placed a comforting hand on the small of her back. "Am I going to Hell?"

Sam's eyebrows rose in shock.

"What? No. Why would you even think that?"

"Ruby. She was a witch and look what happened to her."

A tear slide down her cheek as the fear and worry started to take it's toll. Sam wrapped his arms around her and pulled Alex to him in an attempt to comfort her.

"Alex, you're not like Ruby. You heard what the demon said."

"Demon's lie."

"Hey look at me." He placed his hand under her chin and forced her to look him in the eye. "You are different. You didn't ask for this. Okay" Alex let loose a sob as she started to cry. "You were born with this."

"But what if . . . "

Sam silenced her by placing two fingers on her lips.

"You could never hurt anybody. All you've done is help people. Alex, you're probably the best person I know. You put yourself on the line to help others everyday. and never ask for anything in return. That's why I love you."

A stunned looked appeared on Alex's face for a moment as Sam's last words echoed in her head before a small smile formed on her lips.

"What . . . what did you say?"

"I love you."

"I love you too, Sam."

Her hand moved to rest on the side of his face as their lips met in a tender kiss. Sam could taste the salt from her tears as his tongue darted out to taste her lips. Alex accepted his invitation and gladly allowed him entrance. Their tongues danced together as the kiss started to become more passionate.

Sam's hands moved to her shoulders and gently pushed the unbuttoned flannel down her arms before tossing it to the side and laying Alex back on the mattress. He rested his hand on her hip as she shifted to make their position more comfortable. His lips moved of their own accord, leaving hers to taste her neck.

Alex sighed as he nipped at her throat and then gently kissed away the small amount of pain his teeth had caused. She ran her hands down his back. Slipping her hands underneath his shirt, she felt the muscles there ripple as he slid his hand along her curves. Her body arched up to meet him as fingers grazed the side of her breast before tangling themselves in her hair.

The feel of her hands on his body elicited a gentle moan from him as her hands moved to his sculpted chest and abs. Fire burned everywhere her hands touched, making him want more, making him want to feel her skin against his own. He gently stroked the soft skin of her hip just above the waistband of her jeans with his thumb as his mouth continued to devour hers.

There was a tingling sensation where he brushed her skin. The touch was tentative at first, but soon she could feel his palm along her ribs. She laid her hand flat against his chest and could feel his heart racing. She could feel Sam starting to gently pull her shirt up and arched her back to help him until he suddenly stopped. Sam pulled back ever so slightly and looked into her eyes. Alex removed her hands from Sam's body as confusion flooded her mind.

"Are you sure?"

Her only answer was to place a hand at the back of his neck and pull him down for another kiss. He pushed the hunter green tank top the rest of the way up her body. Their kiss broke just long enough for him to pull the shirt over her head. It quickly joined her other on the floor. Sam ran his gaze along her scantily clad torso. The lamp at the side of the bed cast a soft light of her body that made it seem as if she was glowing. Her eyes shown up at him with complete faith and trust. Sam bent and began kissing her abdomen.

Alex shut her eyes and tilted her head back, gently moaning as Sam's hand massaged her breast through her sports bra and his lips grazed along her stomach. A feeling of pleasure rushed through her as his thumb grazed her erect nipple. The need to feel his lips on her own grew until she gently pulled him up her body and kissed him with fervor.

******  
Dean needed a distraction. That's why he found himself walking to the bar he'd seen just down the street. The flicker of the motel lights put Dean on his guard. He readied for a fight. When he turned back around, Ruby was standing in the parking lot shadows waiting for him.

"So the devil may care after all," Dean said. "Is that what I'm supposed to believe?"

"I don't believe in the devil."

"Wacky night. So let me get this straight. You were human once. You died. You went to Hell and became…"

"Yeah."

"How long ago?"

"Back when the plague was big."

"So all of 'em, every damn demon. . . they were all human once."

His mind raced as she confirmed his suspicion. It was all too much to take in. One question in particular kept running through his head.

"The answer is yes by the way."

"I'm sorry?" he asked.

"Yes, the same thing will happen to you. It might take centuries, but sooner or later Hell will burn away your humanity. Every Hell bound soul, every one turns into something else. Turns you into us. So yeah. Yeah you can count on it."

His heart sank at her words. Hell wasn't going to be a picnic. Dean had always know that, but the thought of becoming what he hunted made his stomach churn.

"There's no way to save me from the pit is there?"

"Alex can." Dean looked a Ruby in shock. "If she'll get over herself and step it up. Between you and me, I think you're fucked. She doesn't have the balls to do what it takes."

"What do you mean?"

Ruby just turned to walk away shouting "see you later Dean" over her shoulder, leaving Dean alone with his thoughts.

******

The kiss continued as the couple moved to a seated position. It was only broken when Sam helped Alex remove his shirt. She took in the sight before her with wonder, reaching a hand forward to trace the outline of his muscles. His breath hitched a little when she played with the outline of the v chiseled into his abdomen where it disappeared into his jeans causing her to smile. She kissed the protective tattoo on his chest as he ran his fingers through her auburn hair. Her lips moved to his neck as she reached for the button on his jeans.

He could feel her hands tremble slightly as they worked the button on his jeans. Placing his hands on top of hers, he helped her lower the zipper and release the pressure the tight fabric cause to his erection. He took her face in his hands and kissed her with all of the love and passion he could muster as she slid the denim down as far as their current position would allow. He pulled her down with him as he kicked his jeans the rest of the way off.

She ran her hands across his torso and shoulders as their passionate lip lock continued. She could feel the outline of his erection pressing against her. When her fingers came into contact with the fabric at the top of his box briefs an idea formed in her mind. Her fingers brushed against him ever so gently, earning a growl from her lover.

Sam flipped them over and immediately went to work removing her jeans. He took in the sight before him and decided that he had never seen anything move beautiful in his life. Alex lay before him like an angel. Her hair cascaded across the pillow forming a halo around her head. Her nipples stood noticeably erect underneath her bra, begging to be suckled. When he looked into her eyes all he saw was love and adoration. A small smile formed on her lips which he quickly returned before reaching for her bra.

Alex arched to help him remove the thin piece of fabric and pulled it over her head to allow Sam better access to her. She gasped loudly when Sam's lips closed around her left nipple and began to gently suck. Moisture pooled at her groin when his teeth grazed across the sensitive bud. She reached to run her fingers through his hair but he stopped her. He placed her hands above her head and held them there with one hand as he focused his ministrations on her other breast.

She moaned beneath him as he lavished her chest with attention. He slide the hand not holding her in place down her body until it met the garment covering her core. When he felt the wetness already soaking through the panties he groaned and grew even harder. Her body rose to meet him as he began to stroke her through the silky fabric. He could smell her arousal growing with each movement of his hand.

Longing replaced pleasure when he suddenly stopped and moved his mouth back to her lips. Alex greeted his lips as a dying man greets water in the desert. They devoured each other's mouths as hands roamed, familiarizing themselves with the other's bodies. Sam slowly reached around and cupped her shapely rear. Alex got the signal instantly when she felt Sam gently tug at the last piece of clothing she had on and lifted her hips to allow him to remove it. He slide his hand along the inner part of her thigh, coaxing her to open her legs.

Alex gasped when she felt Sam's lips make contact with the sensitive ball of nerves at her center. Heat radiated through her body as his tongue lapped up her juices and teased her center. She started to writhe beneath him as a pool of sensation mounted in her lower abdomen. Sam placed an arm across her to help hold her in place as he gently inserted a finger into her vagina. Alex shoot off the bed as a wave of pleasure raced through her. Sam pulled back to watch her as he slowly added a second finger and continued to pump her. Her mouth hung open ever so slightly. Her face was flushed, and her eyes were closed as she let herself be taken over by the sensation.

The feel of Sam's lips on her own brought her back to reality. She placed a hand on his shoulder and pushed ever so slightly to get him to roll onto his back. He had made her come alive and now it was her turn to return the favor. She quickly disposed of his black boxer-briefs and took a moment to study him as he had her. He was Adonis reborn. His muscles rippled everywhere her hands touched. When her eyes came to rest on his manhood they widened ever so slightly. He was not imposingly large, but he looked as if he may not be able to fit inside of her.

Her fingers running across the velvet steel on his manhood causing him to release a noise from the back of his throat that she had never heard him make before. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as her hand slide up and down his shaft. Her lips seemed to be everywhere at once. His hands found the silky strands of her and pulled her up to him before rolling her onto her back.

Their eyes looked. There was no doubt, no fear, nothing but sear love and passion. Sam kissed Alex ever so gently as he positioned himself at her entrance. She shifted her hips to give him better access. He stopped to give her a final chance to say no. Alex looked tenderly into his eyes.

"I love you, Sam."

He smiled and placed a tender kiss upon her lips.

"I love you too."

The greatest pleasure either of them had ever know was when he slowly entered her. His movements were gentle at first, giving her a chance to adjust to his size. Their eyes never looked away from the other as the pace quickened. Sighs and moans filled the room as both began to build towards climax. Alex's head tilted back as the cord inside of her drew so tight she though she would lose her mind. Then it snapped. She screamed Sam's name as wave after wave of pleasure took over her body. Sam felt her walls tighten around him and buried his head in the crook of her neck to muffle the sound of his moan as he exploded inside of her.

He thrust into her a few more times as they came down from their collective high. They kissed each other lovingly as their passion finally ebbed away into a peaceful contentment that only the two of them could share.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback welcome.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Supernatural or any of the characters there in. Alex and the Mayfair mythology are my own.

Dean's deadline was drawing near. Sam and Alex had been researching for weeks in an attempt to find a surefire way to break the deal, but they hadn't found anything solid yet. The page Alex had stolen from the Book of Shadows was proving to be somewhat useful. When it first caught her eye she wasn't sure if it would actually be of any use. The words soul and fusion had jumped out at her, causing her to grab the page on a whim. Now that she had had more time to study it, its value was all too clear. The spell could be the key to saving Dean, but there were a few key elements needed that she knew he would not approve of. She had figured out how to eliminate the bodily fluids from the spell, but it was far from perfect. That's why they found themselves sitting in the bar at such an early hour.

The older Winchester couldn't believe his eyes when he walked into the bar and found his younger brother and his girl at the counter downing liquor like it was water.

"There you are," he said as he approached the counter. "What are you doing?"

Alex looked to the side ever so slightly. "Having a drink. What does it look like?"

"It's 2 in the afternoon." He picked up Sam's glass and smelled its contents. "Drinking whiskey?"

"I drink whiskey all the time," said Sam.

"No, you don't."

"What's the big deal? You get sloppy in bars. You hit on chicks all the time. Why can't I have a drink and hit on Alex huh?"

"What's going on with you?"

The defeat Sam felt shown all over his face. He had tried his hardest and found nothing. There was no way to save his brother. Dean took a seat next to him as he shared all of this. His voice broke a little when he spoke of what his brother would become. There was no stopping it. Even the beautiful woman next to him was powerless, and it was for one simple reason.

"No one can save you because you don't wanna be saved. I mean, how can you care so little about yourself?"

Dean looked to his brother and tried to look confident, but it was a very thin mask. He had accepted his fate. He just was not looking forward to it. Words of comfort began to form on his tongue, but the sound of Alex's phone stopped them.

The number on the screen was foreign to her. There was a bit of confusion in her simple "hello." Her brows knit. "Yes this is Miss Sniderson." The boys watched her face change from confusion to panic in an instant. "What?. . . Where?. . . I'm on my way." Alex hung up the phone slowly and turned to the brothers. "It's Bobby. We've gotta go."

******

Alex had been encompassed by worry the entire trip. Now that she saw his still from lying on the hospital bed all she felt was numb. They had no idea why he was this way. All tests showed he was perfectly healthy.

"Miss Sniderson," the doctor started, "you're his emergency contact. Anything we should know? Any illnesses?"

"No. I've never seen him with anything worse than a cold."

Sam placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Doctor, is there anything you can do?"

"Look, I'm sorry, but we don't know what's causing it . . . so we don't know how to treat it. He just . . . went to sleep and didn't wake up."

Alex just stared at Bobby while Sam and Dean thanked the doctor for his time. Sam wrapped his arm around her and pulled her to his side. She was always able to comfort others and now when she needed that same comfort he had no way of giving it to her. All he could do was hold her.

"What was he even doing here?"

Dean gave his usual cheeky grin. "Taking an extremely lame vacation." Alex shot daggers at him with her eyes. "Sorry." He reached to run a hand on her back. "Just trying to lighten the mood."

"We do need to figure out what he was doing here though," said Sam. "Maybe if we figure that out we can help him wake up."

Alex nodded her head. "You guys go. I'll stay here with Bobby."

Sam gave her a quick kiss on the top of her head. As he and his brother left the room he turned to take a final look at her. She slowly sank down into the chair at Bobby's side and took his wrinkled hand in her own.

She sat there for what must have been hours without moving. The only thought running through her head was, 'I did this. This is all my fault.' Alex gently ran her thumb over the back of his hand. She didn't' say anything, just offered silent comfort.

******

Sam found Alex in the exact same position he left her in earlier that day. Looking at his watch, he saw that it had been almost 5 hours. He slowly started to enter the room. "Hey."

"There hasn't been any change." Alex didn't even turn her head to look at him. "The nurses have come to check on him a few times, but they keep saying all the readings are normal. If they're normal why isn't he waking up?"

His heart broke to hear the pain in her voice. "Bobby's strong." He put his hands on her shoulders and squeezed gently. "He'll be okay."

"I did this."

"Don't say that."

"But I did." She quickly rose to her feet and turned to face him, tears in her eyes. "If I hadn't been so . . . he would have called for help and. . ." That's when the tears began to fall.

Sam pulled her to his chest and held her tight. "You can't blame yourself. There is no way you could have known this was gunna happen." He gently rocked her back and forth until her sobs stopped.

When Dean entered the room Alex had stopped crying and was whipping her eyes. He watched as Sam whipped a final tear from her face and gave her a gentile kiss before clearing his throat.

"So . . . it looks like we have a real life Freddy Kruger."

"What?" asked Alex.

"Yeah there's this plant called silene capensies. A lot of people call it African Dram Root. Apparently this doctor was using it in sleep experiments. If you take enough of it, with practice you could control anything in a dream."

Alex listen quietly as the boys explained all they had learned at Bobby's hotel room. They were even pretty sure they knew who put Bobby in this state and killed the professor.

"Wait," she said. "What about Bobby?"

"It's Bobby. He's a hunter," Dean assured her. "He's tough."

"So now what? We go in after him?"

"One problem though," said Sam. "We're fresh out of African Dream Root. So unless you know someone who can score some of it…"

Dean interjected, "Crap."

"What?"

"Bela."

"No," Alex said. "No way in hell. You're actually suggesting we ask her a favor?"

"I'm feeling dirty just thinking about it, but yeah."

Alex shook her head and prepared to make her argument until a nurse popped in to tell them that visiting hours are over. "Let's go to the hotel." She was content to drop it for now, but if they called Bela and she tried to screw them over, Alex was going to make her life hell.

When Dean had called Bela that night she had refused to help them. If Alex was going to tell the truth she was relieved. She had never met her and had no desire to. Everything that people told her about Bela was a cautionary tale. There was a good reason for everyone's lack of trust in the lovely brunette.

******

It was early morning. Sam was preparing to take Alex back to the hospital to see Bobby while Dean took a shower when the knock on the door caught them all by surprise. He looked at the others in confusion for a moment. Dean grabbed his gun off the bed and moved to the door quickly. Sam and Alex readied their weapons as Dean looked through the peephole. His head quickly jerked back.

"Who is it?" asked Alex.

Dean put his gun away and opened the door.

"Bela. As I live and breathe."

Bela strode into the room like a lion stalking a gazelle. "You called me. Remember."

"I remember you turning me down."

"Well, I'm just full of surprises."

Alex didn't like the look of her the second she entered the room. To most people her eyes wandering around the room would be just that, but she was not fooling her. She was looking for something. The look in her eyes was far to calculating and analytical for her to just be casually looking at things.

"I brought you your African Dream Root." She handed a jar to Dean. "Nasty stuff, and not easy to come by."

"Why the sudden change of heart?" asked Alex, full of suspicion.

"You must be Alex. I've heard so much about you."

She extended her hand to Alex who studied it for a moment before shaking it with her own.

"I've heard a lot about you too."

"Dean," said Bela as she turned to the older Winchester, "you said this was for Bobby Singer right?" He nodded. "Well, I'm doing it for him. Not you."

"Why?"

"He saved my life once . . . in Flagstaff."

Something didn't smell right to Alex. The boys didn't seem to be buying it either. It was all too easy. When she asked, "So when do we go on this little magical mystery tour?" it all made since. She wanted in Bobby's head.

"No way. You are not getting into Bobby's head," said Alex. "From everything I've heard I don't trust you enough to let you anywhere near this."

"What so you're going in alone?"

Sam quickly jumped in. "No. We are. Alex's is going to the hospital to sit with Bobby until he wakes up."

"Well then let me drive you." She smiled at Alex. "It's the least I can do."

Alex studied her for a minute before relenting. Sam gave her a warning look to be cautious as she left. She gave him a weak smile to assured him that she'd be fine. There were a few things she wanted to say to the woman that claimed to be doing this for Bobby, and to say them they needed to be alone.

They didn't even reach the car before she started.

"We need to talk." Bela stopped to look at her. "I love Bobby, and those boys in there," she pointed to the motel room, "mean more to me than you can imagine. If you do anything . . . and I mean anything to screw them over or hurt any of them. . . I will make your life a living hell. You'll be begging for the real thing. You understand me?"

Bela just grinned at her.

"Oh I understand perfectly, but you're forgetting one very important detail."

"Oh really? What's that?"

"I can make life uncomfortable for you too."

Alex stared Bela down as the sky turned black and the wind started to pick up around them. Bela looked like the cat that ate the canary until a lightning bolt hit at her feet. She jumped back in fright and looked to Alex, the perfect picture of controlled rage.

"Point taken."

"Good." Alex relaxed and the sky began to clear. "Now please drop me off at the main entrance."

******

Nothing had changed since the night before. Bobby was still in a coma when Alex walked into his hospital room. She slide the chair back to where it was the day before and held Bobby's hand. A quick glance at the clock told her the boys should be in his dream by now, but he still wasn't awake.

"Bobby," said Alex, concern in her voice. "I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I know what happened wasn't your fault. You were just defending yourself." She fell silent for a while and watched the monitors beep. "This is all my fault. I'm so sorry Bobby." A tear slide down her cheek. "You have to wake up. Please, please Bobby just wake up." She finally gave into the emotion and rested her head on their joined hands and wept.

Bobby gasped for breath as he shot upright.

"Bobby?" Alex asked in shock.

He slowly turned his wide eyed gaze to meet her face.

"Alex?"

She helped him lay back.

"Just rest I'm going to go get a nurse."

Alex ran into the hall screaming for assistance. Two nurses and a doctor quickly ran to her aid. She watched from the doorway as they looked the older hunter over. After a few moments they assured her he was fine and allowed her back in.

"I'm gunna go call the boys. They'll want to know you're okay."

Bobby nodded and watched her go to call the Winchesters. Alex was the last person he expected to see on this hunt. Hell he didn't even realize he was still on the hunt apparently. It had all felt so real to him. It was like he was really living it.

There was a sheepish smile on her face when she came back in.

"The boys are on the way." Alex waived the phone at him. "They said to tell you they're glad you're okay." She sat down next to Bobby. "I am too. Bobby I'm so sor…"

He cut her off with a raise of his hand. "Stop right there."

"But Bobby. . ."

"Don't go blaming yourself for things you can't control again."

"How did you. . ."

"Hell I raised you didn't I?"

"I know. I'm sorry. I love you Bob. . . I mean. I love you Dad."

The grizzled old hunter pulled her into a tight hug and breathed a sigh of relief that he had his baby girl back.

******

The boys were just as happy to see Bobby as Alex was. Hugs were exchanged all around as everyone settled in to talk about the case.

"His name's Jeremy Frost," said Bobby as he examined the photo Dean had given him. "Full-on genius. Hundred and sixty IQ. Which is saying something considering his dad took a baseball bat to his head." He showed them all a piece of paper with a man's driver's license on it. "Here's Father of the Year. He died before Jeremy was 10."

"He doesn't look that scary to me," said Alex.

"Injury gave him Charcot-Wilbrand. He hasn't had a dream since."

"Then he started taking the dream root and was dreaming again. Sound about right?"

"Yep."

Dean asked, "How'd he know who to dig up your worst nightmare and throw it at you?"

"He was rooting around in my skull. God knows what he saw in there."

"Yeah," said Sam. "How'd he get in there in the first place? Isn't he supposed to have some of your hair, your DNA or something?"

Dean and Alex agreed.

"Yeah. Before I knew it was him, he offered me a beer. I drank it. Dumbest frigging thing."

Dean sat up a little more in his chair and gave a nervous laugh.

"Oh, I don't know. It wasn't that dumb."

Alex closed her eyes and took a deep breath before speaking. "Dean, please tell me you didn't do what I think you did."

"I was thirsty."

"You idiot!" Alex had gone from annoyed with the elder Winchester to angry in seconds. "Now he can come after either of you, and there's not a damned thing we can do about it."

"We'll just have to find him," said Sam.

"We better work fast and coffee up," Bobby stated. "Because one thing we cannot do is fall asleep."

******  
Alex glanced at the speedometer as Dean raced the Impala down the dark stretch of highway.

"Dean slow down."

"No."

"Dean," Sam said, "you sure you don't want me to drive? You seem a little . . . caffeinated."

"Thanks for the news flash Edison."

Bobby and Bela had been trying to turn something up, but there was nothing. A small lead at a strip club was all they had. When that turned out to be a bust, they were back at square one. Neither Bobby or Dean had slept in almost two days. The others took shifts sleeping to help make sure the others stayed awake until they found Jeremy.

The Impala suddenly veering from the road caused Alex to jump in her seat as Sam asked his brother what he was doing. Dean parked the car in the middle of some trees before reclining his chair.

"Taking myself a long-overdue nap."

"Dean if you do that Jeremy can come after you."

"That's the idea."

"What?!"

Sam and Alex were stunned. How could Dean possibly be so stupid?

"Come on you guys," said Dean. "We can't find him so let him come to me."

"On his own turf? Where he's basically a god?"

"I can handle it."

"Not alone, you can't."

Sam reached over and quickly pulled out a few of his brother's hairs. Dean cried out and grabbed the side of his head.

"What are you doing?"

"Coming in with you."

"No you're not."

"Why not? At least then it'll be two against one."

"Three," Alex chimed from the back seat. The Winchesters turned to look at her. "There's no way I'm letting you guys go in without me.

"No way. I don't want you digging around in my head."

"Well too damn bad," Alex said as she prepared herself to drink the vial liquid.

A moment later they all awoke inside the Impala. That's weird, Alex thought. Shouldn't we all be in Dean's dream? They slowly exited the car to explore the woods around them. Music suddenly began to play and a light formed behind them. The trio turned to see Lisa sitting on a little blanket with a picnic basket at her side.

"Hey. You gunna sit down," she said as she poured a glass of red wine and extended it to Dean. "Come on. We only have an hour before we have to pick Ben up from baseball."

Alex grinned a little. She knew Dean had a soft spot for that woman. Dean on the other hand looked very uncomfortable, claiming he'd never had this dream before. Alex's smile only grew wider.

"Stop looking at me like that."

She raised her hands in surrender.

"Dean," Lisa said. "I love you." She smiled lovingly at him before the image flickered and disappeared.

"Where'd she go?"

Sam looked around and noticed Jeremy behind a tree in the distance. "Guys!" He pointed to the man as he started to run. Dean and Alex quickly followed.

The woods were thick and dark. Visibility was limited and the three hunters quickly found themselves separated. Alex turned in circles as she called the boys names, but there was no response. Going back to the Impala seemed the best course of action so she turned and started walking in the direction she came from. A sigh of relief passed through her lips when she saw the boys standing in a clearing.

"Oh thank god. I thought I'd lost you guys," she said as she walked towards them.

Sam and Dean turned to her guns raised and leveled on her chest. She raised her hands. "Guys it's me."

"We know who you are," Sam said.

"But more importantly," Dean chimed, "we know what you are."

"What?" she asked in confusion as the boys advanced towards her. "Guys what's going on?"

Dean was the first to speak. "Just doing our job."

"You're evil," said Sam. "You have to be destroyed."

Panic clenched her heart. "Sam? Dean? Guys what are you doing?"

"What we should have done a long time ago."

She shut her eyes and braced for the pain. 'What a second,' she thought. 'This is a dream. It's just a dream Alex. Take control.' She opened her eyes and they were gone. The boys were nowhere to be seen, but the Impala was visible in the distance. She started to approach when she heard voices. One was clearly Sam's, but Alex couldn't place the other. Slowly, she moved around the clearing. Jeremy was standing over a tied down Sam. He raised a bat as if preparing to strike. 'Come on Alex. Think fast.' She shut her eyes tightly and focused.

"Jeremy!"

She breathed a sigh of relief when his father appeared. Jeremy turned his attention from Sam long enough for Alex to make her move. She placed a finger on her lips to signal to Sam to stay silent as she cut the ropes with her knife. Sam picked up the bat Jeremy had dropped and swung with all his might. Jeremy fell to the ground.

"Where's Dean?" Sam asked.

"I don't know. I'm gunna try to find him. You just stay here and make sure the sandman," she nodded towards Jeremy, "doesn't wake up."

Alex shut her eyes and tried to focus on Dean. When she opened them, she found herself standing in a long hallway. Voices could be heard down the hall. She pulled her gun and slowly started to make her way towards the noise. As she drew nearer, she could clearly hear Dean. It sounded as if he was arguing with himself. The words became clearer the closer she got to the room he was in. The conversation was about his father. He shouted "I don't deserve to go to Hell."

The sound of a gunshot sent her flying into the room.

The door banged against the wall with the force of her kick. "Dean?" He turned to look at her briefly. In front of him was himself. He looked at her for a moment before approaching his double. She called his name again as she walked towards him, placing her hand on his shoulder. He acted as if he didn't notice her. He took a few steps forward until the double suddenly sprang to life.

"You can't escape me Dean," it said, eyes the solid black of a demon's. "You're gunna die. And this, this is what you're gunna become."

Alex stepped in front of a frozen Dean. "Dean!" She shook his shoulders to force him to look at her. "Wake up!"

Her eyes shot open as she took a quick inhale of breath. She looked to the front of the Impala and saw Sam and Dean shaking off the dream hell they had all just been in.

******

"So you did a little dream-weaving of your own in there huh?" asked Bobby.

Alex was finally able to take him home from the hospital. She had to promise Dean that she would take extra special care of his baby in order to drive it. He had wanted to drive her up there to get Bobby, but after everything that had happened between them she really wanted some time alone with Bobby.

"Yeah," she said. "I just concentrated and it happened."

"Didn't have anything to do with... you know... your. .?"

"No. It didn't. It was the dream root. Sam could have done it too."

"Good. Good," Bobby said as he nodded his head and opened the motel room door.

******

"Hey you guys seen Bela?" Dean asked as soon as they entered the room.

"No. Why?" Alex asked.

"She's not in her room or answering her phone."

"She probably just took off. Not like she'd want to stick around after the job anyway."

"Just like that? It's a little weird."

"Yeah well," said Bobby, "if you ask me what's weird is why she helped us in the first place."

Confusion crossed Dean's face. "I thought you saved her life."

"What the hell are you talking about?

"The thing in Flagstaff."

"That thing in Flagstaff was an amulet. I gave her a good deal, that's all."

A sinking feeling encompassed Alex as she locked eyes with Sam from across the room. From the look on his face, he seemed to have the same feeling of trepidation she did.

"You boys better check your pockets."

Sam ran to the safe to find it empty.

"The Colt," said Sam as he turned to the rest of the room. "Bela stole the Colt."

"Damn it boys!" yelled Bobby.

Alex watched with unfocused eyes as Dean and Sam started to pack. Rage boiled in the pit of her stomach. She had warned Bela not to double cross them, but she had anyway. Now she was going to have to pay.

The sudden flash of lightning and sound of thunder made Sam's head pop up as the sky outside grew dark. It had been bright and sunny only seconds before. His eyes traveled over to Alex. She stood there completely rigid, a look of pure hatred on her face. If he was completely honest with himself the look was terrifying. Her eyes were unfocused, dark, and stormy as he made is way towards her. "Alex?" Cautiously, he placed a hand on her shoulder.

Alex blinked rapidly and shook her head as the world came back into focus and the sky began to lighten. "Sam?" She looked up at his face and saw the concern he felt for her.

"Where'd you go for a minute there?"

"Nowhere." She shook her head. "Let's just find Bela."

She quickly moved past him and to her bags to pack. Sam and Bobby looked at each other with worry before following her across the room with their eyes. She didn't say a word. She just moved around the room collecting her things. Dean's brows knit themselves together as he looked to his brother. None of them were sure what had just happened, but whatever it was . . . it wasn't good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback welcome. Let me know if y'all want more.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Supernatural or any of the characters there in. Alex and the Mayfair mythology are my own.

Alex double checked her supplies for the third time before lighting the candles positioned around the map. The incantation flowed from her lips as if she had done the locator spell a thousand times. She still had a hard time believing that they actually found some of Bela's hair in the shower drain, but she wasn't going to think about it too much. Why look a gift horse in the mouth? As soon as they found the bitch, the sooner Dean would stop obsessing over the Colt the better. Alex had a plan to save him from Hell, but he had to be willing to work with her. He may want out of the deal now, but he still may not like the idea.

-flashback-

Dean was zipping up a duffel bag stuffed full of weapons when Alex came to put her bag in the trunk. When he gave her a sideways glance, she gave him a weak little smile.

"Alex," he said in hushed tones.

"Yeah."

"What you saw… when you were in my head…"

"Don't mention it Dean." She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I know I won't." He nodded his gratitude and was rewarded with a smile.

One by one they all slowly piled into the Impala. Dean flopped into the driver's seat but didn't start the car.

"Guys," said Dean.

"Yeah," Sam replied.

Dean cleared his throat. "I've been doing some thinking and… well the thing is… I don't wanna die." Sam's expression softened as sadness seeped into his soul. "I don't wanna go to Hell."

The feel of a hand on his shoulder caused Dean to turn and look at the woman in the back seat. "Then you won't," she said. "We'll find a way to get you out of this." She squeezed his shoulder, earning a half smile from the older Winchester before he turned and started the car.

-end flashback-

From that moment on Alex's determination to figure out the spell had doubled. She knew how to do it. She knew the risks involved if the spell went array, but she was fairly certain she could control it. Unlike the spell she was working now, it would have serious consequences. If she got this one wrong they would just be on a wild goose chase. If she got that one wrong, well…she didn't want to think about it.

A white light began to form at the center of the map. It slowly moved around as it hovered above the map before diving on a single spot. The light dissipated, leaving a red mark on the map where it touched.

"Boys! We've got her."

Dean walked into the room, Sam close on his heels. Alex handed him the map.

"Alright," he said. "Let's go."

******

The hunters checked the clips on their guns one more time before rushing into the room. Everything was in perfect condition, almost like it hadn't been used at all.

"Any sign of it?" asked Dean.

"Nothing," Sam replied. "Are you sure this is Bela's room?"

The spell hadn't given them an actual address. It wasn't that specific. It only gave them a town. Everything they had found since their arrival earlier that day was leading them to this room. Even if Bela had been there, it was pretty clear she was gone now. Alex was about to suggest they all leave when the phone started to ring.

Dean carefully picked it up and placed it to his ear. The voice on the other end of the line instantly filled him with rage. "Where are you?"

The sound of his brother's voice and the flaring of his nostrils told Sam all he needed to know. Only one person would get that kind of reaction from him right now. He listened carefully as his brother continued to converse with the woman who was currently their least favorite person on earth.

"I knew it would only be a matter of time before Sam's little girlfriend used magic to find me," Bela said. "So I decided to make myself scarce."

"Alex could always just do the spell again. Only this time we can use a more detailed map." Alex nodded that she could in fact do what he said. "I'll find you sweetheart. You know why? Because I have absolutely nothing better to do than to track you down."

"That's where you're wrong. You're about to be quite occupied. Did you really thing I wouldn't take precautions?"

The door suddenly burst open as several officers rushed into the room, guns raised and ready. The three hunters could do nothing but drop their weapons and kneel to the ground. A scream of "You're dead Bela" flew from Alex's lips as she felt the cold steel of the handcuffs engulf her wrist. A pair of shiny black shoes suddenly appeared before her eyes. She followed the leg upwards to the face of a man she could only guess was one person.

"Hi guys. . . It's been a while."

The boys were taken down to the vehicles, but Henriksen had them hold Alex back for a little while. He wanted to know why this young woman was working with the Winchesters. Maybe she'd even be willing to help them out if he let her off the hook.

"So," he began. "What is a pretty, smart, young woman like yourself doing running around with those two?" Alex just looked straight ahead. "I know who you are Alex." Her eyes shot to his face. "Oh yeah. Little orphan girl adopted as a teen. Raised by some old redneck out in the middle of nowhere. You're records pretty clean though. You see, the way I figure it…there is only one reason you'd be running around with these two." Alex raised her eyebrows in question. "You must be sleeping with one of them." She looked away again. "So which one is it. Dean?" No reaction. "Nah. It must be Sam." Alex's eyes turned deadly as she met Henriksen's eyes. He chuckled. "You know if you help us out I can make things a lot easier for you. Maybe even get you parole. Now how does that sound?"

Henriksen placed his hands on his knees as he bent to look her in the eye. Her gaze was calm and cool as she stared him down. There was no looking away, no emotion, no glimmer of anything in her cool blue eyes. He sighed before standing up.

"Get her outta here."

An officer pulled Alex to her feet and dragged her from the room. She wasn't going to say anything. The only thing she would do was help the boys find a way out of this.

******

Sam was on edge as he sat in the back of the armored vehicle in chains.

"What didn't they bring Alex down with us?" he asked. "What does he want with her?"

"I don't know, but whatever it is he's not gunna get it."

The doors flew open and Alex was unceremoniously shoved inside with them. Sam instantly started asking her if she was okay the second he doors closed behind her. She assured them she was okay. Hendriksen was only trying to scare her. It didn't work.

******

The ride to the jailhouse ended quickly. When the doors opened again, they were surprised to find leg shackles being placed on them. Alex ended up between the two brothers. If she had to guess, she would say it was Henriksen's idea. They would have a harder time escaping this way.

Slowly they shuffled into the small police station. Everyone was watching them with weary eyes like they were wild animals that would attack at any second. Alex noticed a young secretary clutching a rosary in fear. Their eyes met.

"We're not the ones you should be afraid of," Alex said calmly as they were lead back to their cell. The officers left them alone as soon as the cell doors were shut. Both brothers started wandering in opposite directions.

"Whoa!" said Alex as the boys reached the end of their chain and caused her to nearly fall over. "Okay. Sit."

The hunters sat quietly on the lone bed. Sam leaned into the corner and pulled Alex back against his chest. Alex kissed the wrist of the arm he wrapped around her shoulders to hold her there.

"How we gunna Houdini out of this one?" Dean asked.

"Good question. I have no idea."

"Me either," said Alex. "I've never really had to break out of a jail cell before."

That sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts until a voice broke their silent reverie.

"You know what I'm trying to decide?" Agent Henriksen asked.

"I don't know. What? Whether Cialis will help you with your little condition?" quipped Dean.

"What to have for dinner tonight. Steak or lobster, what the hell surf and turf. I've got a lot to celebrate. I mean after all, seeing you two in chains… I got a little more than I bargained for when I pick up you little friend their two, but that's okay."

Sam tightened his hold on Alex.

"You know, I wouldn't bust out the melted butter just yet," said Dean. "Couldn't catch us at the bank, couldn't keep us in that jail."

"You're right. Screwed up. I underestimated you. I didn't count on you being that smart, but now I'm ready."

"Yeah, ready to lose us again?"

"Ready like a court order to keep you in a super maximum prison in Nevada til trial." The sly smile melted off of Dean's face. "Ready like isolation in a soundproof, windowless cell, so that between you and me . . . probably unconstitutional." Henrikson smirked. "Take a good look at Sam; you two will never see each other again. And you two," he gestured at Sam and Alex, "enjoy your time together while you can. Cuz it'll be the last time you get to sit and hold each other like that." Alex laced her fingers with Sam's. "I hadn't planned on grabbing you though." He pointed at Alex. "Shouldn't have any problem charging you with accessory and getting the same deal for you. That is of course unless you want to talk?"

Alex spit at Henriksen and pressed herself closer to Sam's body. He just looked at the spit on the floor and then back at Dean.

"Where's that smug smile, Dean? I want to see it."

Dean shook his head. "You got the wrong guys."

"Oh yeah. I forgot. You fight monsters. Sorry Dean. Truth is, your daddy brainwashed you with all that devil talk and no doubt touched you in a bad place. That's all, that's reality."

"Why don't you shut your mouth?"

"Well guess what. Life sucks. Get a helmet. 'Cause everybody's got a sob story but not everybody becomes a killer."

The sound of a helicopter approaching in the distance filled Alex with dread. Getting out of this situation was becoming less and less likely. A cold chill ran down her spine causing her to shiver. Sam just pulled her closer and placed a kiss on her hair in an attempt to comfort her, but truth was, he needed the comfort just as badly. After everything they had been through the thought of having Alex ripped away from him was too painful to bear. Yes, he was worried about not seeing his brother again, but he and Dean always found a way. Alex was different. She was tough. He knew that, but he had heard what happened to her the last time he went away. He was afraid of what losing him for a second time would do to her.

The trio listened in silence as people in the front office discussed their futures. Dean stood and slowly paced back and forth. Alex closed her eyes and tried to memorize the feel of Sam's skin under her hand, his scent as he held her, the sound of his heart…she tried to memorize everything about him. Just in case this really was the end.

The sound of the holding cell area door closing caused Alex's eyes to snap up.

"Sam and Dean Winchester," the man said as he approached. "I'm Deputy Director Steven Groves. This is a pleasure." He turned his attention to Alex. "And you must be Alexandra. I've been waiting a long time for this."

Her full name being used put Alex on edge. Nobody ever calls me that. Not unless their… Her eyes grew wide as she saw the man reach for his gun. "Dean!" She lunged forward to push him out of the way as the shot rang out.

Sam jumped as the sound of the shot split the air. The feel of warm blood splattering his face caused same to flinch. When he opened his eyes, the sight before him filled him with fear. Dean was shoved to the ground and staring up in shock at the massive hole in Alex's shoulder. His eyes grew wide. She swayed slightly on her feet. Sam rushed to catch her before she hit the ground as Dean rushed the agent.

"Alex," Sam shook her slightly, trying to get a response from her. She just stared straight ahead in shock.

Dean fought for the gun. Agent Groves' eyes turned black. Dean punched him through the bars, causing him to fall back. Sam recited the exorcism ritual from memory. The demon twitched on the ground.

"Sorry," he said. "Got to cut this short. It's gunna be a long night fellas."

Black smoke billowed from his mouth before he fell to the floor, completely lifeless.

"Alex! Alex!" Sam shook her slightly. Alex blinked a few times before turning to look at Sam. He let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding. "Oh thank god."

Officers, drawn by the sound of gun fire, ran into the room.

"Put the gun down!"

Dean slowly put Agent Groves' gun on the ground.

"He shot him!"

"I didn't shoot him! I didn't shoot anybody!"

"He shot Alex!" Sam protested as he applied pressure to her wound causing her to cry out.

One of the officers checked the body for signs of injury. There was no blood, no holes, nothing to indicate he had been shot.

"Vic, there's no bullet wound."

Henriksen kept his gun on Dean as he looked from him to his fellow agent.

"He's probably been dead for months," said Dean.

"What did you do to him?"

"We didn't do anything."

"Talk or I shoot."

"You won't believe us."

Alex spoke up in a pained voice. "He was possessed."

"Possessed? Right." He grabbed his communicator. "Fire up the copper! We're taking them out of here now."

Sam and Dean worked together on Alex's shoulder, one applied pressure to the front, the other to the back.

"God this thing won't stop bleeding," said Sam as felt blood begin to slowly trickle over his fingers again.

"At least we don't have to fish out the bullet," said Dean. "It went clean through."

"Yeah. Lucky me." Alex grimaced slightly as Sam increased pressure to try and stop the bleeding. It had slowed greatly, but it didn't seem to want to stop completely. "Hurray for small miracles I suppose." Closing her eyes, she leaned into Sam more for support and comfort.

"Hey no going to sleep," he said. "You need to stay awake."

She sat back up with a hiss of pain just as the lights went out. The three hunters looked around apprehensively. Dean was the first to speak.

"That can't be good."

"Agreed," Alex replied.

Great commotion could be heard in the front lobby. "What's going on out there?" Alex asked as Henriksen came into view.

"What's the plan," he asked. "Kill everyone in the station, bust you three out?"

Dean stood. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about your psycho friends. I'm talking about the blood bath."

"Okay, I promise you whoever's out there is not here to help us."

"Look," said Sam, "you got to believe us. Everyone here is in terrible danger."

"You think?"

Alex looked up at Henriksen. "If you let us we can help you. We can help save you from…"

"From what? You gunna say demons?" He raised his gun and trained it on Alex. "Don't you dare say demons." Dean quickly moved in front of her. Being shot once today was more than enough for her in his book. "Let me tell you something. You should be a lot more scared of me."

He quickly left, his rage rolling off of him in waves. Whatever was going on out there clearly had him all keyed up, and they had a pretty good idea that it was going to get a lot worse before it got any better. Dean breathed a small sigh of relief that there was no longer a gun pointed at his chest. Being shot was definitely not his idea of a good time.

"How's the shoulder?" he asked Alex.

"Feels great," she replied, voice dripping in sarcasm. Sam pulled away another pad of toilet paper covered in blood before reaching for another. "Just wish it would stop bleeding already. So, you have a plan?"

Sam made another makeshift bandage for Alex's shoulder. As he turned, he caught sight of Nancy peering at them from around the corner. "Hey…" The frightened young woman backed off quickly. "Uh please, please. We need your help. It's… it's Nancy. Nancy, right." She watched him carefully from her semi hidden position. "Nancy, it's my… my girlfriend. She been shot and… and she's bleeding really bad. You think maybe you could get us a towel? Please? Just one clean towel so we can try to stop the bleeding." Nancy just looked back uncertain. "Look, look at us. We're not the bad guys. I swear."

Nancy looked to Alex on the bed, clutching her shoulder. Alex gave the frightened secretary a small smile in the hope that it would put her at ease. The woman paused for a moment before turning and leaving without saying a word. Sam's heart sank as he watched her retreating form.

"It was worth a shot," said Alex.

Sam looked at her sadly. All he wanted to do was help her. She pushed his brother out of the way and took the bullet that had been intended for him. The woman he loved was just sitting there bleeding, maybe to death, and there wasn't a god damned thing he could do about it. Sam had never felt more helpless in his life. He glanced back at where Nancy had been, expecting to see nothing, as he moved back to Alex's side. His eyes widened and let out a sigh of relief when he saw the young woman standing there with a simple clean towel.

"Thank you," he said. Nancy slowly made her way towards the cell. "It's okay." He held out his hands so she could see he meant her no harm. She placed the towel inside the bars, reassured by his gently smile. She returned his smile, relaxing a bit before he grabbed her arm and dragged her against the cell door. She screamed in fear as she found herself trapped by his strong grip.

Officers raced into the room, guns raised and shouting "Let her go." Sam released Nancy's arm and backed away slowly, hands raised. The officer pointed his gun at Sam as he made sure Nancy was okay. "Try something again, get shot. And not in the arm."

Alex looked at her boyfriend dumbfounded as Nancy and the officer retreated from the room. "What the hell was that Sam?"

He held up Nancy's rosary.

******

Sam said a silent prayer of thanks. Alex's shoulder had finally stopped bleeding. The towel Nancy brought them let Sam get enough pressure to get the bleeding to stop. Now all they had to do was find a way to get out of there so he could stitch her up before something caused it to start again.

"How many do you think are out there?" she asked.

Sam said, "I don't know," as he kissed her hair gently. "There's no way of knowing."

"Have you ever heard of them doing something like this? Hunting a hunter?"

"No. Never."

"It's like we got a contract on us," said Dean. "Think it's because we're so awesome? I think it's 'cause we're so awesome." A cocky smile graced his face as he turned to face his brother and best friend. The look Alex shot him quickly wiped it from his face and forced him to turn back around. The sight of an officer coming towards them caused him to perk up slightly. "Well, howdy there sheriff."

Sam and Alex stood as the man started to unlike the cell.

"It's time to go guys."

The hunters looked at each other in confusion.

"Uh…," said Dean, "you know what? We're just comfy right here. But thank you."

A sense of panic griped Alex when the officer grabbed her elbow and began dragging her towards the door. "What do you think you're doing?" She relaxeed. Alex had never been happier to see a cop in her life as she was to see Henriksen at that moment.

Henriksen and the officer begin to argue about heading to a SWAT facility in boulder. Sam pulled Alex back to his side as the argument escalated. Alex sensed something was wrong and watched them carefully. Her eyes locked with Henriksen's seconds before he pulled his gun and shot the officer in the head.

"He's possessed!"

Dean and Sam lunged forward to grapple the FBI agent. The gun found its way into Dean's hands as Sam moved Henriksen to the cell's toilet. Nancy's rosary floated gently in the water as he forced Henriksen's head down into the bowl as Alex began to chant.

Dean keept the gun trained on Henriksen's back as Sam allowed him up for air. His eyes were completely black. "It's too late. I already called them. They're already coming." Sam shoved him back down as Alex finished the exorcism and black smoke screamed out of Henriksen's mouth.

Sam released him. He fell to the ground and began to cough. The others, drawn by the sound of gunfire, began to fill the cell.

Nancy stared wide eyed at Henriksen. "Is he dead?"

He suddenly began to coughing as he came back to life. Sitting up, he looked around frantically as he tried to figure out where he was.

"Henriksen! Hey. Is that you in there?" Sam asked.

The agent worked his way up onto the bed and stared at Alex. As he looked at her, a sudden understanding of what happened hits him and his eyes widen. Alex looked into his eyes. She was completely calm and relaxed as she searched his mind. "You believe us now?"

******

Thoughts of worry filled Sam's mind as he spray painted a devil's trap on the floor just inside a set of double doors. Alex's shoulder had started bleeding again when the officer Henriksen shot had pulled her by it. Nancy was patching her up now, but he knew she needed stitches.

The danger of her bleeding out had passed. Sam was certain of that, but he was still concerned. She always seemed to get hurt around him, one way or the other. That's what scared him the most as he walked back to the lobby and saw her using her talents to comfort a scared Nancy. 'How many times is this going to happen?' he thought. 'What if I can't save her?'

******

Then she turned and met his gaze. Her easy gentle smile vanished his fears. All he wanted as he moved towards her was to hold her in his arms and know that she was alright.

Alex winced a little as Nancy applied pressure with a white cotton bandage to her shoulder.

"I'm sorry," said the secretary. She pulled back a little, afraid to hurt the female hunter.

"It's fine. I'm a lot stronger than I look." Nancy gave her a weak smile that Alex returned as she set a hand on the girls arm and leeched the trepidation from her. "It'll be okay Nancy. I promise." She could feel eyes on her and turned to find Sam standing at the far end of the room looking worried. Alex flashed him her best smile in hopes that it would calm him.

"That should hold."

Alex gave Nancy her thanks as she slide from the desk to go see Sam. "Hey."

"Hey. You okay," he said as he pulled her into his arms.

"I'm fine. Not made of glass you know."

"I know it's just. . . I just don't like seeing you like that." She placed a hand on the side of his face. Sam leaned into the soothing touch. "I hate it when you do that."

"Do what?"

"Go all witchy on me."

She chuckled. "No witchiness required. I didn't try."

He smiled gently down at her before leaning in for a kiss.

"Hey lovebirds," Dean bellowed. Sam and Alex pulled apart. "Help them salt the place. I've got to get something out of the trunk."

******

A hiss escaped her lips as Alex tried again and failed to grab the road salt from the shelf above her head. Every time she tried to raise her arm to shoulder level, a white hot searing pain would rip through her shoulder.

Sam heard her pained sigh and turned to see her clutching her arm. He followed her eyes to the bag of salt that rested at her eye level.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. I just can't get the salt." Sam reached up to grab the bag. "Thanks." She reached for the bag, but Sam pulled it out of her reach.

"No way. Alex you can barely move your arm. What makes you think you could carry this?"

"I'm not completely useless. My arm was shot. Not amputated."

Sam chuckled as the spitfire in front of him and leaned to kiss her forehead. "Go help Nancy with the lobby. I'm going to go keep an eye out for Dean." She raised an eyebrow at him briefly before turning to leave the room, a look of indignation on her face.

******

The thick black demonic smoke was closing quickly on the eldest Winchester as he sprinted to the door. Sam yelled for him to hurry as he watched with baited breath as he brother tried to out run the demon army. "Come on Dean!" Dean burst through the door and slammed it shut as Sam quickly made a line of salt behind his brother before running into the main room.

"They're coming!" yelled Dean. "Hurry."

Black smoke hit the window just in front of Nancy causing her to scream. Alex's eyes went wide when she saw how thick the smoke was. I've never seen this many. She unconsciously moved closer to Sam who gladly wrapped a protective arm around her, pulling her gently to his side. She took comfort in his embrace as the light from outside was completely blotted out by the smoke. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the young secretary begin to panic. Reaching out, she took the young woman's hand into her own and calmed her fears.

Just as quickly as the smoke descended upon the building it left. Dust floated gently down from the ceiling as everyone looked around the room to assess the damage.

"Everybody okay?" Dean asked.

Henriksen responded, "Define 'okay'."

"All right, everybody needs to put these on." He started to toss protective talismans to everyone in the room except himself, Sam, and Alex. This did not go unnoticed.

"What about you guys?" Nancy asked.

Sam and Dean exchanged a quickly look before pulling down the collar of their shirts to revile the matching tattoos on their chests. Nancy took a quick look at the necklace in her hand and realized that it was identical to the ink on the two brothers.

"Smart," Henriksen commented. "How long you had those?"

"Not long enough," said Sam as he released his shirt collar.

"What about you?" Nancy pointed to Alex. Alex gave her a weak smile.

"You can't see my protection, but trust me. It's there." She rubbed Nancy's arm soothingly before turning to Sam. The small smile on her face quickly disappeared when she saw the look he was giving her.

Sam's brows furrowed together when he noticed the red spot forming on the white bandage resting on Alex's shoulder. "You're bleeding again." He pointed. She looked at her shoulder and was shocked to see the blood. "Nancy where's the first aid kit?"

"It's still sitting on the desk in the office."

He nodded his thanks and placed a hand on the small of Alex's back to assure her into the room. She took her seat on the edge of the desk again as she started to rip off the bandage to allow Sam access to her wound.

Only the front seemed to have started bleeding again. The hole in the back of her shoulder seemed to be doing fine so Sam replaced the bandage, but a small trickle of blood came out of the front. "You need stitches." He applied pressure. "I'll patch you up just as soon as we get out of here."

"Sam." He looked up. "How are we going to get out of here?"

"I don't know." He placed a hand on the side of her face. "But we will." They began to lean towards each other when the sound of a crash caught their attention. The two hunters exchanged a worried looked before darting from the room to investigate.

They found the window broken and a woman that was unmistakably Ruby trapped in the protective circle. Dean, Henriksen and the rest quickly joined them, guns at the ready.

"Are you gunna let me out?" she asked.

Alex held out her hand to Sam. He placed his knife in her hand before she started to move forward.

Henriksen was shocked. "She's a demon."

She bent to start scratching away part of the paint. "She's here to help." Rising to her full height, she looked Ruby straight in the eye. "Isn't that right?"

"Right." She smiled wickedly. "Does anyone have a breath mint? Some guts splattered into my mouth while I was killing my way in here." Ruby pushed past the others with determined strides.

"How many are out there?" asked Dean as he followed.

"30 at least. That's so far."

Alex froze mid stride. 'Oh my god! There's too many.' 

"Who sent them? Why are they after us?" Sam, sensing her rising fear, placed his hands on her arms in an attempt to comfort her and give her some of his strength.

"Oh don't worry sweetie. They're not after you. Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dumb on the other hand… that's who she wants."

"She?"

"There is a big new up and comer. Real pied piper. Her name is Lilith." Alex did not recognize the name, but something about the way Ruby said it sent a shiver down her spine. "She sees Sammy there as competition, something she's not too keen on. So she really, really wants his intestines on a stick."

Sam and Dean quickly exchanged looks as the former swallowed heavily. The fell of his girlfriend's hand upon his own brought him back to the moment. Her face was almost ashen as she spoke. "So how do we stop them?"

"I know a spell. It'll vaporize every demon in a one-mile radius, myself included."

"What do we need to do?"

"This spell is very specific. It calls for a person of virtue."

Dean nodded. "I got virtue."

Ruby just laughed. "Nice try. You're not a virgin."

Now it was his turn to laugh. "Nobody's a virgin."

The demon just raised an eyebrow at Dean before slowly shifting her eyes to Nancy in indication before turning them back to the eldest Winchester. He stood their flabbergasted, flapping his mouth open and closed as he searched for something to say.

"What?" she asked. "It's a choice okay?" Nobody said a word until she spoke again, nervously this time. "So this spell. What can I do?"

An evil smile appeared on Ruby's face. "You can hold still while I cut your heart out of your chest."

Alex pulled from Sam's grasp and moved to stand between the girl and Ruby. "No way Ruby."

"I'm offering a solution."

"You're offering to kill somebody," Dean countered.

"And what do you think's gunna happen to this girl when the demons get in? Did you think of that?"

"There has to be another way," said Alex, "some alternative. I can do spells with subst…"

"A substitute?" Ruby finished. "Don't think so sweetie. You may be good, but you're not all powerful yet."

Nancy looked on in shock as the scene unfolded around her. A demon wanted to cut her heart out. A fugitive was standing between them, and everyone was arguing over what needed to be done. "I'll do it." Everyone kept going like they hadn't heard her. "I'll do it." This time everyone stopped and looked at her.

"You don't need to do this Nancy," said Alex as she turned to face her. "We'll find another way."

"All my friends are out there."

"And we'll find a way to help them I promise. We're just not going to kill you to do it."

Everyone in the room looked at each other expectantly. Nobody spoke up.

"Well," said Ruby, "what do you suggest?"

Alex looked at Sam for strength and found all she needed in his eyes.

"I have an idea."

******

Alex double checked the wires of the intercom system. "I really don't like this." The sound of worry in Sam's voice brought a small smile to her face. He always worried about her safety before his own. She shook her head as she crawled out from under the desk.

"Why are you so worried? You're the one that's going to be out there on the front lines. I'm just going to be in here with Nancy." She gestured to the secretary sitting on a chair in the corner.

"At least keep the knife with you." He held up Ruby's demon killing knife. "If something goes wrong you need to be able to defend yourself."

"I'll be okay." She placed both of her hands on his much larger one that held the weapon. "Look, we both know I'm useless in a fight right now. Until we get out of here and you can sew my arm up I won't do anyone any good. It's better if I just stay here and stick to the plan."

"We don't even know if this will work. Are you sure you can…" He was silenced by Alex's fingers coming to rest on his lips.

She chuckled. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"It's not that." Sam dropped his chin to his chest as he sighed. "I just … I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you."

"Look, if it makes you feel better we'll put a line of salt in front of the door."

"You're never done anything like this before."

"Sure I have. I've done this spell a hundred times."

"Not on this scale you haven't."

"It'll be okay. I promise."

"Just be careful." Sam pulled her to his chest in a crushing hug. Alex breathed in his scent, letting it soak into her memory.

"You too."

Sam released her from his arms and began to walk through the door. "Wait." He felt a hand on his arm pulling him back. When he turned he saw Alex staring up at him. Her hand moved from his arm to his face, pulling him down towards her. Their lips met in a fierce kiss full of passion and longing. Alex ran her tongue along his lower lip, begging for entice which he gladly gave. Her tongue slide gracefully against his, filling his soul with fire.

As soon as the kiss had started it stopped. Sam looked down at Alex in shock at the sudden loss of contact. "Just in case" is all she said. He gave her a weak smile before planting a final kiss on her forehead before leaving.

Alex watched him walk away with a sad expression on her face. A giggle from the corner of the room caught her attention. She turned to see Nancy smiling at her. Heat quickly formed in her cheeks as she felt the crimson blush form on her face.

"You really love him don't you?" Nancy asked.

"More than I can say."

"Are you worried he might die?"

A haunted look found its way into her eyes. "Every day."

******

Everyone took their positions at the exits.

"All set?" Dean yelled down the hall.

A chorus of "yeah" and "ready" answered him.

"Let's do this."

Salt lines and devil's traps were broken simultaneously as the doors were thrown wide by the demons. They fought the onslaught with all they had. Dean and Henriksen fought back to back as tried to hold off the horde. A demon screamed as the agent dowsed him with holy water, surprised that it actually worked.

Sam worked his way down the short hall to the lobby. One of the demons latched onto his arm as he reloaded his weapon. A quick blow with the butt of the weapon pushed the demon back far enough for him to fire the salt rounds into the onslaught.

They all finally reached the main office. Sam flung holy water at the demons to hold them back. A woman began to climb over one of the desks and walked straight towards the brothers. Her eyes were black as pitch as she stretched out her arm towards them. The men flew backwards into the wall.

"Alex," Sam tried to yell, but the gasp from the pain of hitting the wall stole the power from his voice. He took a deep breath and tried again. "Alex!"

"Alex, now!" Dean yelled beside him before the room burst with light.

******

Nancy placed a line of salt behind the door as soon as everyone was in place. The salt would stop a demon from entering. There was no doubt about that. What scared her most was the thought of what would happen if the plan failed. Sure they couldn't get in, but that also meant they couldn't get out.

The way Alex was handling everything astonished her. She's so calm. "Aren't you scared?"

"Yeah."

"You don't show it."

Alex turned from the plan of the building she had been studying and walked towards the young woman, squatting in front of her chair. "I have to keep my emotions under control. If I give in, then I won't be able to do my job. We all have to keep calm and do our jobs." She placed a hand on Nancy's knee. "Can you do that for me?"

A sudden sense of complete calm came over Nancy as Alex spoke. She nodded an answer to her question.

"Good. Let's get to work. Keep an eye out for the guys for me and make sure that line doesn't get messed up." Alex returned to the table with the sound equipment. She could hear the boys yelling to let the demons in. Taking one last look at the plans, she shut her eyes and began to focus. She pictured the building in her mind, trying to make the mental image as clear as day.

******

The sound of fighting could be heard moving towards them. Fear once again took over the young secretary as she curled up into a ball, trying to hide from the demon army. She watched in terror as first Sam and then Dean and Henriksen moved past the door. Gunfire seemed to be happening everywhere at once. She covered her ears to block out the sound.

Alex never moved a muscle. She stood stock-still and focused, waiting for the signal. Finally she thought she heard Sam's voice calling her name, but it was so faint. Then she heard Dean screaming "Alex, now!" Her eyes flew open as a bright blue light encompassed the building. Nancy shielded her eyes as its intensity. The flash turned into a dull glow. Alex reached over to the button on the microphone and began to speak.

******

Everyone covered their eyes when the blue light appeared. As it started to fade, a few of the demons were able to see the pattern forming around them and panicked. They raced for the doors, but were thrown back at every turn by the devil's trap that now encompassed the building. "Exorcizamus te. Ominis imundus spiritus." The clutched their heads and wailed in pain as Alex's voice filled the air. As she neared the end of the ritual, their screams reached a fevered pitch before black smoke erupted from the bodies of the possessed and disappeared.

******

The flash became a glow. Nancy uncovered her eyes and looked to the other woman in the room. Her eyes were staring straight ahead in pure concentration as Latin text began to poor from her lips. She watched in awe as the woman did something she was sure was nearly impossible. Then it was all over.

Alex's shoulders sagged as she let all of the tension drain from her body. She took a slow steady breath to calm herself before turning around. Nancy was just staring up at her from the floor wide-eyed. "Wow" was all she said. Alex gave her a gentile smile and shrugged before helping her to her feet.

******

Sam and Dean stayed against the wall momentarily as they waited to make sure the exorcism had worked. All of the people who had been possessed started to look around in confusion. Sam looked to his brother who quickly jumped into some story to explain what was going on, but all he cared about was making sure Alex was okay.

The sight of her coming around the corner filled him with joy. They ran towards each other as he opened his arms to catch her. He held her tightly to his chest as he petted her hair. "You okay?"

"I'm fine. You?"

"I'm good."

The deputy started to user people outside as Henriksen and Dean approached them.

"I better call in," he said. "Hell of a story I won't be telling."

Alex looked at him expectantly. "What are you going to tell them?"

"I'm gunna kill you. Sam and Dean Winchester and their accomplish Alexandra Thomas were in the chopper when it caught fire. Nothing left. Can't even identify them with dental records." Sam and Dean looked at each other in astonishment. "Now get out of here."

Sam and Dean shook his hand as they went to leave.

"Thank you," said Alex as she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

His eyes grew wide for a moment before looking at the young woman smiling up at him. He watched as she returned to the younger Winchester's side. As he watched the trio of hunters walk away, he felt truly at peace for the first time in years.

******

"Agh!" Alex cried as Sam poured more whiskey on her wound to clean it before handing her the bottle. She took a long drink to help numb her for the pain she knew would come. Slowly, Sam started to stitch the gunshot wound in her shoulder. She shut her eyes tight and continued to drink from the bottle as he continued.

Sam hatted having to do this. He never liked inflicting pain on those he loved, but there was no way around it when it came to stitching them up. The most they could do was dull their senses with alcohol and wait for it to pass.

"There," he said as he finished the last stitch. "Done."

"Thank God." Alex took another drink. "If you never have to do that again it will be too soon." She gave Sam a weak smile.

He chuckled. 'Well at least she hasn't lost her sense of humor. That's good.'

A knock sounded at the door. Dean opened the door to reveal a very pissed off Ruby.

"Turn on the news," she said as she stormed into the room.

Sam reached for the remote on the bedside table as he took a seat next to Alex on the bed. The group watched in horror as the reporter told them of the tragedy that had unfolded minutes before. The police station was gone. Alex began to shudder beside him as the faces of the dead flashed on the screen before them. He pulled her back against his chest as Ruby turned off the TV.

"Considering the size of the blast," Ruby said, "smart money's on Lilith." She tossed small hex bags to each of them. Alex was so stunned that it bounced off of her chest and landed in her lap. Sam thanked Ruby while Alex just stared at the parcel resting on her leg. "Don't thank me. Lilith killed everyone. She slaughtered your precious little virgin, plus a half a dozen other people. So after your big speech about humanity and war, turns out your plan was the one with the body count. And its gunna stay that way until you grow a pair and toughen up." She pointed at Alex who had raised her watery eyes to look at her. "Until you are willing to do what has to be done there is no way in hell you're going to save Dean. So until you learn to do what has to be done… we go with my plan."

Alex looked on in silence as the blonde retreated from the room. Silent tears began to fall from her eyes as the brother's watched in bewilderment. "She's right. This is all my fault." Her tears turned to sobs as she turned into Sam's chest.

"Hey don't you believe a word that bitch says," Dean said as he walked towards his brother and best friend.

"He's right Alex. There is no way we could have known Lilith would show up. We did all we could."

"But it wasn't enough!" she screamed. "What if I can never do enough? What if she's right? What if I can't save you Dean?"

The brother's just looked at each other as in shock at her outburst. They watched on in silence as the sound of Alex's sobs filled the room. No further words were spoken.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Supernatural or any of the characters there in. Alex and the Mayfair mythology are my own.

'Coming here was a great idea,' Alex thought as she stretched lazily on her bed. The boys had decided to head to Bobby's after the little police station debacle to let Alex rest and recuperate while they tried to find a way to break Dean's deal. They hadn't had much luck on that front, but being able to sleep in a nice soft bed instead of one in a two-bit motel was making her recovery go a lot faster.

She kept her arms above her head and turned to look at the man next to her. A small shaft of sunlight came through the window and played across his face. Sam's angular features were completely relaxed. All of the cares and worries that usually marred his beautiful face vanished when he slept. A little smile pulled at the corners of her mouth as she thought about Bobby's reaction to him following her up the stairs the night they arrived.

The fact that she had a hole in her shoulder had him upset enough, but the look on his face when he realized the Sam had every intention of sleeping in her old room with her was priceless. For a moment she had thought he was having a heart attack, or the rotgut he was drinking was trying to resurface. The look he gave Sam was almost murderous after Dean said they had been sharing a bed for months. Alex had to suppress a chuckle when she thought about the way Sam tried to explain his "intentions" to Bobby. The old hunter eventually gave in and told the younger Winchester that if he hurt her, he'd wish Hellhounds were ripping him to pieces before he got done with him. Sam had just swallowed and nodded eyes slightly wide. 'I don't think I'll ever stop laughing at that.'

That time Alex couldn't suppress the girlish giggle at the memory. Sam stirred in his sleep. Quickly, she covered her mouth in hopes that she would not wake him.

"Do I have drool on my face or something?" he asked, eyes still closed.

"No. I was just thinking about the look on your face when you and Bobby had your little talk."

Sam slowly opened his eyes to gaze at the woman before him. "I guess that would seem funny to you." He rolled onto his side so that he was facing her. She did the same. A lock of her auburn hair fell across her face, and Sam gently pushed it behind her ear. Alex closed her eyes to the touch. "I was just thinking about all the things he could do to me." She smiled.

"True. We'd probably never find the body. At least not in one piece." Sam looked at her shocked for a moment before realizing her joke.

"Oh is that so?" He lunged for her, quickly earning a squeal of laughter as be began tickling her sides.

"Sam stop please. Aah!" Alex tried in vain to roll away from him, but the bed was far too small for her to get away. Sam started to laugh with her.

When tears were streaming down her face, he finally stopped. They were both breathing heavy and chuckling. The laughter quickly died however when they realized that Sam was now lying on top of Alex. Her hand came up to trace his brow before coming to rest gently on his cheek. They gazed into each other's eyes wordlessly for a moment before Sam started to lower himself closer to Alex. Her eyes fluttered closed when she felt his warm breath upon her face.

The door suddenly flew open, causing the two to scramble for different sides of the bed, fearing that Bobby was checking up on them.

"Rise and shine you too," said Dean as he entered.

Alex was furious. "God Dean don't you knock!"

He gave her a cocky smile. "You thought I was Bobby didn't you?"

"Damn it Dean," said Sam as he tried to get his heart rate back to a normal pace. Alex threw a pillow at the older Winchester's head in frustration.

He deflected the fluffy attack. "Hey what was that for?"

"You're a dick."

"Oh come on you know you love me. Anyway, pack your panties Sammy. We're hitting the road."

"What? Why?" Sam asked.

"Bobby found something. Some banker guy blew his head off in Ohio and he thinks there's a spirit involved."

"Great!" Alex rolled out of bed. "I've been dying to get back to work."

"Oh no you don't," Dean said as he stepped in front of the over eager hunter. "You're not going."

"Like hell."

Sam came up behind her and placed a hand on the small of her back. "Maybe he's right Alex. Your shoulder's still healing. If we run into trouble you could just make it worse. I mean we just took the stitches out a couple of days ago."

She huffed. "I'm fine. My shoulder's all most as good as new."

"Oh yeah," challenged Dean. He raised his right palm. "Go ahead." He slapped his palm, indicating to her that he wanted her to punch it. "Give it your best shot. If you can do it without wincing then you can go."

"Oh come on! Seriously Dean? This is ridiculous."

"Humor me."

She looked to Sam for help, but he only raised his eyebrows as her and shrugged. Rolling her eyes she raised her arm and prepared to punch Dean's hand with all her might. Halfway through the motion pain radiated through her shoulder and shot down her arm, causing her powerful punch to be more like a gentle slap with a closed fist. She winced and brought her hand up to her shoulder as she rolled it in an attempt to chase away the pain.

"There you see," said Dean. "You're not going. End of discussion."

Sam started rubbing her shoulder. "He's got a point Alex."

"Fine I'll stay here. Just get out so I can put some clothes on," she said as she shooed Dean from the room.

"Now play nice you two," he said with a smirk. "Don't get too carried away."

Sam grabbed the door. He said, "Good-bye Dean," before shutting it in his face.

******

Dean sat quietly in the living room drinking a beer while he waited for his brother. He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice Alex entering the room. As she stood silently studying him in the doorway, he thought about his future. There wasn't much time left. Only a few weeks remained on his contract. His year was almost up, and they were no closer to finding an out. Taking a long draw of his beer, he sighed.

"Worrying that much could kill you ya know."

Dean almost spit his beer across the room. When he turned his head and saw the curvy brunette in the doorway he let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Jesus Alex."

"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"Well," he said taking a swig of beer, "you did a damn good job of it."

Alex slowly walked into the room, making her way towards the troubled man at its center. "I was kinda serious." She pulled a footstool in front of Dean and took a seat. "Worrying is not going to help anything."

"What makes you think I'm worried? You use your little mind reading trick?"

"No. There's no need to. I know you. When your eyebrows knit together like that it means you're thinking really hard about something. And judging by the way you were pulling on that beer I'd say it wasn't about the case you and Sam are heading out on." Dean tilted his head to the side slightly as he raised his eyebrows in recognition before downing the last of his beer. Alex placed her hand on his knee. "We're going to find a way out of this Dean. I promise." Dean looked into her eyes and saw that she was sincere. "I am going to find a way to save you."

Sam had been standing in the doorway for the majority of Alex's little speech. Neither his brother nor his girlfriend had noticed his presence. Their lack of observation allowed him to watch the private exchange through untainted eyes. Sam had never seen his brother look so broken. Dean always seemed to strong and sure of himself, but now he could see just how much the prospect of going to Hell was affecting his brother – his carefree attitude was just a ruse. He as scared.

How Alex had been able to see this when he hadn't amazed him. She always noticed things that others looked over. True she was a witch and had the power to read people's thoughts, but it went so much deeper than that. The sincerity in her eyes told him that she truly cared what happened to Dean. The comforting hand resting on Dean's wrist forced his brother to look at her. The open haunted expression he saw their brought tears to his eyes.

"Hey Dean," he dared to speak- his voice breaking a little, "ready to go?"

Dean quickly finished his beer and stood, his mask firmly back in place. "Let's ride."

Alex slowly stood as Dean walked past his brother to the door. She could tell Sam had heard their conversation. "I meant what I said. I'll find a way to save him I promise." Alex placed a hand on the side of Sam's face. He leaned into her touch.

"I know. Just be careful okay?"

"You too. I love you."

"I love you too."

Sam pulled her into a quick comforting hug as her heard Dean call for him to hurry up from the car. With a quick kiss to the top of her head, he ran out the door and left her to put her plan in action.

******

It had been two days since the boys left. Sam had called her that morning to let her know that they would be coming home in the morning. That meant she didn't have much time left. Alex told Bobby she was going for a run and would be back later before heading out the back door.

She went to the far corner of the yard and started putting together the ritual. The match ignited the contents of the bowl, and Alex slowly moved to her feet.

"Well, well, well," she heard a female voice say. She turned to see Ruby standing behind her. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I want you to take a look at something." Alex reached into the pocket of her hoodie and produced the worn page from the book of shadows that she had been carrying with her for months. Placing it in the demon's hand, she stepped back to watch her face for a reaction.

"This is some pretty heavy stuff. Where did you get this?"

"That's not important. Will it work?"

Ruby raised her eyebrows. "You want my help?" Alex nodded. "Why should I help you? If memory serves me, the last time I tried to give you help with a spell you threw it back in my face and got people killed." Alex hung her head in shame. "All I wanted to do was kill one virgin. This spell requires a lot more than that."

"I think I found a way around it."

"Oh? Besides, why the hell would you need a spell like this?" Alex just stared at her. Ruby let out a huff of air and shook her head. "This is it? This is your plan to save Dean?"

Now Alex was getting impatient."Will it work?"

"That depends. Are you really willing to do what it takes? This is not simple spell. It requires real old world dark magic."

"The Colt. If I used the Colt and some of my own blood instead would it work?"

Ruby looked down at the paper in her hand before speaking. "I've got to admit, you're got guts. It could work. That or it will kill you both. Either way it doesn't matter. You idiots let the Colt slip through your clumsy fingers."

"I'm going to get it back." She stretched out her hand towards Ruby for the paper.

"Just be careful," Ruby said. "If you try and substitute with this spell and it doesn't work… you're going to find both you and Dean taking a trip downstairs."

"It'll work." A look of absolution came over Alex's face. "It has to."

******

Sam let out a sigh as the Impala came to a stop in front of Bobby's. Dean put the car into park and shut off the engine as Sam pulled the bags from the trunk. They heard a crash from inside the house. The brothers exchanged worried looks before dropping their bags and reaching for their guns as they sprinted for the door.

The door banged off of the wall when it was thrown open. They could hear someone yelling "God damn it!" Slowly, they moved towards the study, guns still at the ready. When they reached the doorway they saw Alex leaning over the desk with her back to them, a map spread out in front of her and papers thrown everywhere.

"Alex," Sam started, "what's going on?"

"I can't find Bela!" she yelled. "I've been trying for days. She must have a hex bag or something that makes it impossible to find her with magic." She threw a book across the room.

"Hey hold on a second," Dean said. "Why do you need to find Bela so bad? What's with the hurry?"

"I need the Colt."

"Why the sudden demand for it?"

Alex took a deep breath to calm her nerves. Slowly, she let the breath escape her lungs as she turned to face Dean. "I found a way to save you from Hell," she said calmly.

Shock registered on both Winchester boy's faces as they looked at the woman before them. There was a look of absoluteness to her. There was steel in her spine and there was no way she was turning back.

"How?" was all Sam could think to say.

She looked down with a sigh and turned back to the desk. Reaching across, she produced the ragged piece of paper and held it out to the boys. Dean was the one to move forward to take it. He looked down at the paper, brows knitting in confusion as he read the writing across the top in Latin. Human Fusion Spell.

Sam's eyes grew wide as he looked at the list of things needed for the spell: the heart of a virgin, the blood of the fallen, the eyes of a lover… the list went on. "Alex," he said, "what are you doing? Where did you get this?"

"Remember that coven of witches we took down a while back? When we went to check out the supposed suicide I saw this in the book of shadows and…"

"And you just took it?" Dean asked as Alex shrugged. "Are you crazy? What the hell would possess you to do something like that? This shit is used to kill people not save them. What were you thinking Alex?"

"I was thinking it might save your life. I saw a glimpse of the page and took it so I could check it out later. I did some research, and I figured out a way to do the spell without all the creepy ingredients."

Sam looked at her in confusion. "How?"

"The Colt."

"Newsflash Edison," Dean said impatiently, "we don't have the Colt."

"I know!" She took a deep breath to calm herself. "That's why I've been trying to find Bela. If I can get the Colt back from her I can use it as a focal point. With it I won't need the hearts and eyes and all that crap. Don't you see it Dean? I can save you," she grabbed the paper from Sam's hand and held it in front of Dean's face, "with this."

"How?" asked Sam. "You put his soul into somebody else and they'll just send the Hellhounds after them."

"Not if it's me."

The brother's just stared at her unsure if they had heard her correctly. Had Alex had just offered to use herself as a test subject? Was she really willing to put herself on the line to keep Dean from going to Hell? Sam wasn't entirely sure how he felt about that.

"Why would that change anything?" asked Sam.

"It doesn't," Dean grumbled.

"Yes it does," protested Alex. "No creature of Hell can touch me remember?"

Dean huffed. "Oh yeah? I remember that demon is Shreveport having a pretty good right hook."

"And remember the terrified look on his face when he realized what he'd done? He just knelt down at my feet and let Ruby kill him. Look, if they come for you and your soul is in my body they can't take it. That will give us more time to find out who holds your contract and kill them. As soon as the demon is gone I can put you back in your own body like nothing happened."

"And what about Sam?" Dean asked. "If I try to get out of this deal in any way he drops dead."

She shut her eyes. "You won't be getting out of the deal. They can have your soul. They'll just have to take me too if they want it."

Sam was dumbfounded. Everything his brother said was true, but Alex seemed so sure. He wanted to trust that this would work. Dean's time was running short and it scared him. It scared him beyond belief to think about his brother that he loved so well being in Hell. Just thinking about it made a cold shiver run down his spin. Now, the woman he loved say she's found a way to save him. He should be ecstatic, but something kept eating at the back of his mind. "Alex," he said, "what if the colt doesn't work?"

"What?"

"You want to use the Colt instead of all these other things. What if that doesn't work? This is some serious old world black magic. You shouldn't be messing around with this stuff to begin with. What if substituting the items doesn't work? What happens then?"

Alex's face was blank as she looked at the younger Winchester. This was the one question she hoped they would not ask her. She was prepared for their anger. Dean yelling at her was not her concern. It was this question. This one simple question from the lips of her lover that she dreaded the most. She swallowed.

"We both die."

Her voice didn't shake. It didn't crack. It was just flat and even as she looked Sam in the eye for a moment, begging his understanding. There was pain and confusion written there for all to see. She chanced a glance at Dean and saw his temper about to explode.

"No," he said. "No way. It's too dangerous. There is no way I'm letting you put yourself at risk for me." He started to walk out of the room. Alex tried to protest, saying that she could do this, but he cut her off. The discussion was over.

She sighed and looked up at the ceiling, defeated, before walking back over to the desk. The fact that Sam was still in the room didn't even register as she stared at the map blindly. What do I do now? The sound of Sam's voice broke her from her revere.

"Why would you do this?"

She slowly turned to look at him.

"Because I don't want to lose you."

"What?" he asked in confusion.

"I know you Sam. If Dean goes to Hell the first thing you'll do is go out there and try to make a deal with the first demon you see." Sam started to protest. "Go ahead. Tell me I'm crazy, but you can't lie to me Sam. You want to know how I know? It's because that's exactly what Dean did for you. You two would do anything for each other." Tears started to form in her eyes. "I already lost you once Sam. I can't go through that again."

The tears that had been threatening only a moment before now flowed freely. Sam quickly encircled her in is strong arms. Alex clung to him as if her life depended on it. He started to stroke her soft tresses in an attempt to comfort her as he spoke. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise." She nodded into her shoulder. "But you can't put yourself on the line like that." He released his grip and held her at arm's length so that he could look her in the eyes. "I've always know that someday Dean or I wouldn't come back from a hunt. That's just the nature of the job. Dean is my brother, and you're right, I would do anything for him. I would give anything for him not to go to Hell . . . but not you. If anything happened to you I'd," his voice cracked, "I don't know what I'd do. I love you Alex. I can't imagine my life without you in it anymore."

His words reached something inside her soul. As his face moved slowly towards hers a final tear escaped her eyes. Sam wiped it away with the pad of his thumb as their lips met in a passionate lock. His tongue slide quickly past her lips and mingled with her own. Their tongues slide against each other in a fight for dominance. Sam's hands slide down her body and cupped her firm backside. He squeezed the cheeks of her posterior. Alex jumped up and wrapped her legs around Sam's waist as her started walking them towards the stairs.

Alex worked to remove his shirt before they even reached her door. She ran her hands over his chest and chiseled abs as he groped blindly for the door. Their lips never left the others as he kicked the door behind him and quickly spun to slam her up against it. She gasped as her head hit the wood and Sam's lips moved to her neck. His hands slid under her shirt as he pressed his body to hers, keeping her held against the door.

Her shirt found its way to the floor before Sam spun her around and threw her onto the bed. She stared up at him and saw the same fire that she felt burning inside her reflected in his eyes. His hands moved to the button of her pants, and she lifted her hips to help him remove her jeans. As he slid the denim from her body, he hooked his fingers into her cotton underwear and took them off as well.

As Sam finished freeing her lower half of all clothing, Alex sat up and started kissing the muscles of his stomach that formed the v she found so irresistible. She made quick work of his pants as well as he removed her bra. Their lips met in another passionate kiss as they worked their way to the head of the bed. Sam cupped Alex's sex and found her more than ready for him.

In one quick movement, he buried himself inside her moist folds. They both gasped at the surge of sensation they felt at being joined as one. Sam wasted no time as he began to move inside her. So consumed with want neither paused to worry about the other as they raced towards completion.

Alex struggled to keep the guttural moans of pleasure emitting from her throat as quiet as possible. A pool of lava was forming in the pit of her stomach as Sam continued to thrust into her. Her voice began to rise in both pitch and volume as the tension inside of her mounted. Sam clammed her lips once more in a bruising kiss as a scream of pleasure erupted from her vocal cords as she came apart beneath him.

Sam felt Alex's walls clench around him, ringing forth from him his own orgasm. A low growl escaped his lips and disappeared on Alex's as he reached crescendo. They looked into each other's eyes, panting, as they slowly came back down to Earth.

******

Dean went into the kitchen in search of a beer before escaping out onto the porch. He leaned on the rail and took a long swig of his beer as rage and frustration boiled inside of him. Alex's plan was still ringing in his ears. 'What was she thinking? How in the world could she think that risking her life to help him was a good idea?'

"What's on your mind son?"

He turned to see Bobby coming up to him, a look of concern on his face. Dean said nothing he just turned and continued to look off into the distance. The silence stretched on for what felt like centuries.

"Alex wants to do some spell that would blend my soul with hers so that they can't drag me to Hell."

"What?"

"She came up with some spell, stole it actually, that lets a person move a soul from one body to another."

"Sounds like black magic to me."

"Oh yeah. Big time. She somehow convinced herself that she could use the Colt as a substitute for all the gross parts and save me."

"What did you tell her?"

"That she was crazy. There's no way in Hell I'm letting her do that."

"Good. Sometimes I think that girl doesn't have the sense God gave a goose."

Dean huffed and took another sip of his beer as he watched the sun set on the horizon.

******

Alex inhaled the strong masculine scent that was purely and simply Sam. The sound of his heartbeat and the steady rise and fall of his chest brought her comfort as she contemplated the future. She needed that Colt. Even if Dean didn't want her to do that spell they were going to need the gun to take down the demon that held his contract. After dinner she had made a few calls to people asking them to keep an eye out for Bela. 'You can run Bela, but you can't hide. Heaven help you when I find you.'

A small smile formed on her lips and she shut her eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep to the sound of Sam's heartbeat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment and tell me what y'all think.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Supernatural or any of the characters there in. Alex and the Mayfair mythology are my own.

Screams of agony filled the room as Sam dumped the bucket of holy water onto the demon. Alex leaned casually against the wall. The amount of effort she had to use to maintain the devil's trap had become next to nothing. After forming one around that precinct, making one big enough to hold a single demon was child's play.

"You ready to talk?!" Dean bellowed.

"I don't know. I don't know anything!"

The interrogation had been going on for almost half an hour at this point. Frustration was starting to take hold. "Yeah I heard," said Sam with a smirk. All of the holy water in the world was getting them nowhere. It wasn't hard to see that the demon wasn't going to tell them much.

Alex looked on as the wheels in her head started to turn. All it would take is one little spell. She tilted her head slightly as she watched the boys work on the demon. 'I could flay the skin from his bones,' she thought, 'or burst and heal the blood vessels in his brain over and over again.' A cold shiver ran down her spine. The fact that she even thought about using a spell like that terrified her. Ever since that night, the urge to do more and go darker kept happening any time she used one of her more basic spells.

"Alex," the sound of her name brought her to attention and caused her to look at Dean. "Do it."

Here eyes went wide. Does he really want me to torture this guy? She shook her head, realizing that he wanted her to exercise the demon. Standing tall, the ancient rite started to pour from her lips. The demon thrashed in the chair as black smoke billowed out of him. The man fell silent, but Alex just stood there. She just stood there and tried to come to grips with the thoughts that had been running through her head.

******

Dinner was painfully quiet. The only sounds in the room were that of knives and forks scraping plates. There was an occasional sound of a glass being set down, but it was all deathly quiet. Bobby took another bite of mashed potatoes and spoke.

"So, you boys got any ideas on how you're gunna kill this demon once you find it?"

They all just looked at each other for a moment.

"I was thinking we could summon Ruby," said Sam. "She has that demon killing knife. We get that from her and use it to kill the demon."

"That could work," agreed Alex.

Dean didn't even look up. "No way." He just kept quietly eating as everyone stared.

"Why not?" Sam asked.

"That bitch has tried to screw us over enough. We're not asking for her help."

Frustration laced the sigh Sam let out. Alex leaned back in her chair and braced for the oncoming fight. It had been happening more and more lately. The combination of stress, time, and few options was making the Winchesters a bit edgy. To say that the sound of her phone ringing was a relief would have been an understatement. One quick look at the caller ID filled her with the smallest bit of hope. She quickly excused herself from the table and left the boys to argue among themselves.

She took a quick look behind her to make sure nobody was listening. "Hello."

"You asked me to call if I found her."

"So you did it? You found Bela?"

"Yeah."

"And?"

"And I called."

A dial tone sounded in her ear. Alex stared at the phone in her hand in shock. The bastard hung up on me.

"Alex who was it?"

She turned to find Sam standing in the doorway studying her. Answering him was a bit more difficult than she thought it would be. Telling Sam who was really on the phone would reveal what she had been doing.

"Wrong number," she said.

He furrowed his brow before moving towards her. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he studied her face. Alex didn't quite look him in the eye. Instead she looked either at the phone or slightly to the side. Sam knew that he shouldn't be worried, but something nagged at the corner of his mind. Once he would have said that there was no way Alex would try to hide something from him, but now that he knew about the spell she had stolen he was not so sure. Placing a finger under her chin he turned her head chin towards him, forcing her to look him in the eye. "Alex, what's going on?"

There was sadness in her eyes. "I was hoping it would be a lead on Bela. I put some feelers out a few days ago, and I haven't heard anything yet."

"Why are you so determined to find Bela?"

"She has the Colt Sam."

"You're not still thinking about doing that spell are you?" he asked in concern.

"No" she shook her head. " No. No. It's nothing like that. If we have the Colt we could use it to kill the demon."

Sam rubbed up and down her arms and pulled her into the strong circle of his arms. "We'll find a way to save Dean. Don't worry." He felt her head nod against his shoulder as her small arms encircled his waist.

Lies were never something she wanted to tell Sam. The feeling of guilt that formed in the pit of her stomach always made her want to vomit-that's exactly how she felt now. True the Colt would make killing the demon easier, but getting even with Bela, that meant more to her than anything else.

******

She waited until the boys had been gone for two days before she headed to Canaan, Vermont. Rufus had found a woman named Mina Chandler. Bela had used that name more than once, and Alex was sure that they had finally found her.

Rufus was a spiteful old bastard. A few years ago, before she met the boys, she had helped him out on a case in Texas. Helped him was actually a bit of an understatement. Saved his life was a bit more like it. A ghoul had him dead to rights when she came in and dropped it before it could finish the job. It was not something she wanted to do. In fact Alex loathed the thought of using that fact to her advantage if the crotchety old hunter was as difficult as she expected.

Climbing the tall porch steps leading to the front door was a lot easier than Alex expected. Rufus was well known in some circles for his paranoia. She half expected there to be some sort of booby-trap hidden somewhere. Pausing briefly at the top of the stairs, she noticed a handwritten sign that read "No solicitors, this means you! No asking for donations. No selling ANYTHING!" A small chuckle escaped her lips as she rang the doorbell.

The whirring of a security camera caught her attention as Rufus' rough voice sounded through the intercom.

"What?"

"Hey Rufus. It's Alex."

"So?"

"You called me about Bela a few days ago."

"And so?"

"You know where she is?" she asked, exasperation evident in her voice.

"Yeah."

Alex rolled her eyes. She knew he was going to be difficult, but this was a lot more than she bargained for. "Great." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Could you tell me where I could find her?"

"No."

She fell back as a groan sounded in her throat. It was time to bring out the big guns. "Too bad." Pulling a bottle from her messenger bag, she turned to the camera and held up the bottle of Johnny Walker Blue she had purchased before going to his house. "Guess I'll just have to drink this by myself." She gave it a small shake before putting it back in her bag and turning to go back to her bike. She was almost half way down the sidewalk when she heard the door open behind her.

"Well," a slow smile spread on across her face at the sound of the hunter's voice, "there's no reason we can't be civil." Spinning on her heals, she came face to face with the older black man standing in the doorway. She didn't even try to hide her smile.

"No reason at all."

******

Scotch was never Alex's favorite, but she could drink it when the occasion called for it. This definitely called for it. The two hunters sat across from each other, glasses in hand, a three quarters empty bottle of scotch between them. Driving the bike was not going to be an option anytime in the next three hours. Rufus was always tight lipped, but Alex knew that the scotch would go a long way. He only drank this specific brand of scotch. One bottle of this stuff always went a long way to soften the man up, and that was exactly what she was counting on.

"So," she said as she trailed a finger around the rim of her glass, "what can you tell me about Bela Talbet?"

"Can I ask you something?" You nodded. "Why are you wasting your time chasing after that skinny, stuck-up English girl?"

"She stole something from me. I want it back."

"You sure that's all it is? Thought you'd be spending more time helping your boyfriend save his brother. Dean only has what? Three weeks left?"

Alex's brows knit in confusion. "How . . . how do you know about that?"

"Because I know things. I know a lot of things about a lot of people. I even know about your little magic obsession." Her eyes grew wide. "Don't worry. Secret's safe with me."

She nodded her appreciation. "So Bela…"

"Hotel Canaan, Room 39. But watch your back."

The chair made a scraping sound on the floor as Alex pushed it back to stand. A small chuckle escaped her lips at the sound of Rufus' words. "I think I can handle Bela."

"Oh, don't be so sure about that." He stood as well. "There are things that you don't know about her." Producing a folder from a drawer, he handed it to Alex who eyed him suspiciously. "The so-called Bela Talbot."

Opening the folder, she began to read the pages. The information they contained slowly began to form a picture Alex never could have imagined. She hazarded a glance at the older hunter. "Is all of this real?"

"Every word."

A little smile formed on her face. "Thanks Rufus." She walked away with a satisfied smirk on her face. "Looks like my job just got a little bit easier."

******

The purr of the bike died as she pulled up across from the hotel down the street. A brunette emerged from the building, looking around cautiously as if she were being watched. Convinced that she was safe, she strode purposefully toward her car and drove away. Alex smiled to herself as the car drove past her and her motorcycle, the driver completely unaware that she was watching her.

Alex dismounted her bike and made her way toward the hotel. Nobody looked at her twice as she made her way up to the room she knew to be Bela's. Looking up and down the hallway convinced her that she was alone. She produced her trusted lock pick set from her back pocket. It was a slow process. Dean usually did all of the lock picking when her phone started ringing.

She couldn't help but groan as she pulled the phone from her back pocket to check the caller ID. "Hey Sam. How's the zombie hunt going?"

"Slow. I called Bobby's, and he said you weren't there?"

"Yeah." She braced the phone between her ear and shoulder before going back to picking the lock as she spoke. "I got a lead on Bela and the Colt, so I'm checking it out."

"Really? That's great! Did you get the Colt?"

"Not yet. I just figured out where she is. I haven't had a chance to check for the Colt yet."

"Just – just be careful okay, Alex? Bela's smart. She probably already knows you're coming."

The lock gave a final click and the door opened freely. A subtle beeping sound alerted Alex to the alarm that was set. Focusing all of her energy, she waived her hand in front of the keypad. The beeping stopped. A smile grew on her face as she shut the door. "Don't worry about me, Sam." The smile grew wider, giving her a menacing look. "I'll be just fine."

******

Returning home at the end of the day is what most people spend their entire day looking forward too. Bela, however, was ambivalent towards the whole affair. Home was a bit of an abstract concept. She never stayed in one place to long. Dealing in obscure artifacts tended to make her more enemies than friends; so having an actual address was practically impossible.

Even so, a small sigh escaped her lips as she turned the key in the door. She placed her purse on the small table next to the door before turning her attention to the security keypad. Her eyes went wide as she read the simple note stuck on the panel. 'Turn around.' Bela took a deep breath before slowly turning to face the intruder. The witch had a sadistic half smile on her face as she stared down the tricky brunette.

"Hello Bela."

"Alex," she replied. "Long time no see." The icy cold look the woman across from her leveled her with caused her blood to run cold.

"Where is it?

"What do you mean?"

Alex narrowed her eyes. "The Colt. Where is it Bela?"

"I don't have it."

"And why should I believe you? You already betrayed me once."

The sky outside began to darken as thunder could be heard in the distance. Bela tried to suppress her rising panic as she reached for the gun inside her jacket. A scream escaped her throat as a bolt of lightning suddenly appeared out of nowhere and struck the door next to her head.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you…. Abby."

Her brows furrowed at the name. "Where did you hear that?"

Alex smiled. "I know a lot more than you than you think." She picked up the file from the table next to her and began pacing.

"Are you going to kill me?"

"That's what I came here for."

"You're not the cold-blooded type." At least that's what she was praying at the moment. Alex had threatened to end her if she betrayed the Winchester boys, but a lot of people made those kinds of threats. They never followed through, but the flat even tone of her voice and the hollow look in her eyes told her that Alex was more than capable.

"You mean like you? You were what, 14?" She began to circle like a bird of prey. "Folks died in some shady car accident. Police suspected a slashed brake line, but it was all too crispy to tell. Suddenly little Bela… excuse me, Abby," she pointed to Bela, "inherits millions. Interesting story don't you think?" Bela said nothing. "I was curious how you did it. Then I found these stashed all over the apartment."

Alex held up a hex bag. Bela recognized it at once. She had placed them at nearly every possible entrance to the apartment.

"I was a little surprised when I opened it and found this herb inside. Devil's shoestring? There's only one use for that. Holding Hellhounds a bay. That means that you didn't kill your parents. A demon did your dirty work for you didn't they? You made a deal, and unless my basic math skills have vanished, your parents died… 10 years ago. So your bill is due."

Bela worked hard to keep her body from trembling. It was true. It was all true. Everything Alex had said was true. "So?"

"You traded the Colt for your life, but it wasn't enough was it?" Bela shook her head. "What else do they want?"

"You."

"Why me?"

"Because you're the Mayfair." The question baffled her. 'Surely she knows what she is,' Bela thought. The look on Alex's face said otherwise. "You're their ace in the hole. You're supposed to fight on their side."

"Never."

"Come on Alex. Surely even you can see that you're changing. You came here to use your powers to kill me. Doesn't that tell you something?"

Alex let out a breath. "You're right. I did come here to kill you," she dropped the herb on the counter top just as a lightning bolt caused it to go up in flames, "but now I don't have to." She started walking towards the door. Bela's hands on her arm stopped her.

"You can help me," she pleaded. "You can call off the Hellhounds."

"I don't have that kind of power."

"No you do. All you have to do is accept your birthright and you can control them."

"You're crazy. Nobody can call off a Hellhound accept for the demon that holds the contract. And even if I could… why would I help you?"

"Because the same demon that holds my contract holds Dean's"

This got Alex's attention. "What's the demon's name?"

"Lilith. . . Lilith holds the contract."

"Thank you." She smiled, and with that she turned and left Bela alone. Tears threatened to poor from the woman's eyes as she stared at the door the witch had just walked through. Her final hope was gone and fear began to take over.

******

Alex strode purposefully to her motorcycle. As she mounted, she heard a howl in the distance. Her head popped up in the direction of Bela's window. Her eyes must have been deceiving her. It looked as if a giant dog was climbing through the window. She shook her head. "Your imagination is running away with you, Alex." She pushed the thoughts from her mind as the bike roared to life. It was ridiculous after all. The only ones who could see or hear a Hellhounds were the people they were coming for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what y'all think of the story so far.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Supernatural or any of the characters there in. Alex and the Mayfair mythology are my own.

Sam sighed as he set aside another of Bobby's books. Hours of research had not brought him any closer to saving his brother. He looked over at Dean, sleeping on the couch. The shortage of leads on how to break the deal was eating away at Sam. They had two days, not even that, and they were no closer to finding out how to get Dean out of the deal let alone who held his contract. His mind started to wander. Alex hadn't called them to check in in two days. He had tried to call her earlier that day, but she didn't answer. If she was on her bike there was no way she could answer. He knew that, but he still couldn't help but worry about her.

Alex's ability to handle herself was not in doubt. Hell, he was pretty sure she could take him down if she really wanted to – but she had gone after Bela. The image of her face when she had found out that Bela had stolen the Colt played over and over in his mind. She had been absolutely murderous. The way the sky darkened with her rage had scared him. There was no doubt in his mind that Alex would have killed Bela if she had been there in that moment. He had never seen her like that before, and he didn't care to see it again.

There had been subtle changes in her behavior lately. Most people wouldn't have noticed, but Sam knew her better than anyone else. The look in her eyes when she was doing magic was a little bit darker. There was almost an evil glint to them while casting spells. If she didn't have such a good heart he would have been a lot more worried. Sam knew that everything she did was to protect people, especially those she cared about. There was nothing she wouldn't do to protect her "family." In fact, that may be what scared him the most.

His blood ran cold as realization dawned oh him. 'There is nothing she wouldn't do to protect me…' Things started to fall into place in his mind. She went to see Bela about the Colt. The image of her face the moment they realized Bela had stolen it came to mind once again. Fear started to form in the pit of his stomach. For the first time the thought that Alex had actually gone after Bela, not the Colt.

The sound of a motorcycle outside broke him from his reverie. Running a hand through his hair, he stood and moved toward the front door. A small smile formed on his face when he saw Alex through the window. She was just pulling off her helmet when he opened the door. Hearing it close, she turned to him and smiled.

"Hey," she said.

"Nice hair." Alex quickly raised a hand to her head and felt where the helmet had pulled several strands of her hair loose from her braid.

She chuckled. "Helmet hair . . . great."

By that time Sam had made his way to her. He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and smiled down at her. "It's a good look for you."

"Really Sam? Helmet hair is not a good look for anyone." He placed a sweet kiss on her lips.

"Did you get the Colt?"

Alex sighed as she turned to get her duffel. "No. She didn't have it anymore."

"What?! She sold it?"

"No. She gave it to a demon."

Sam was shocked. "She did what?"

"She was trying to make a deal, but it didn't work."

"A deal for what?"

"To save her ass."

He froze, all of his thoughts from early creeping back into his head. "Alex . . . you didn't. . ."

"I didn't what Sam?" There was a long pause as the studied each other. His face etched with worry, her's dark and quizzical. "Kill her. . ?" Sam tensed. "No Sam. I didn't kill her." He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "There was no need." Alex turned and started walking.

Sam watched her walk calmly up the steps. It was as if she hadn't a care in the world. He said nothing as he followed her up to the room they often shared when staying at Bobby's. Shutting the door behind him, he moved towards the woman emptying the contents of her bag onto the bed.

"What do you mean there was no need Alex? What did you do to her?"

"I didn't do anything to her Sam?"

The look on his face when she turned to him told her that he didn't believe her. "Okay maybe I had planned to." He crossed his arms over his chest. "I went there to kill Bela, but I didn't."

"Why not?"

"I found this," she said as she tossed the manila folder at him. His brow furrowed as he read the file on the real Bela. He looked from the file to Alex, then back to the file. "Turns out she had already done the work for me years ago."

"So you just left her there?"

"What did you want me to do Sam?! I can't break the deal she made, and even if I could I wouldn't want to. She lied to us, set us up, and practically tried to hand us over to Lilith just to save her own hide."

He didn't know what to say, so he just looked back down at the story of the woman they were discussing. "I did find out who holds Dean's contract though." That caught his attention. His head shot up to see her giving him an easy smile that he could not help but return.

******

Dean shook his head vigorously as he leaned against the desk and crossed his arms. "No. No way. I don't like it."

"Come on Dean," said Sam.

The younger Winchester was quickly losing patience with his older brother. Alex had told them about Lilith holding Dean's contract. They knew who to take out. Now they just had to figure out how. Sam had suggested they get the demon killing knife from Ruby and use it. To Dean that was pure suicide.

"The last time we saw Lilith she nuked the people we had just tried to save, or have you two forgotten that?" Sam and Alex just looked at each other. They understood where Dean was coming from. "Besides we don't even know for sure if Lilith holds my deal. We're going off of Bela's intel? Now when that bitch breathes, the air comes out crooked. We can't trust anything that comes out of her mouth."

"Dean come on," said Alex. "This is the first real break we've had this whole time. We've only got," she looks down at her watch, "thirty hours to go. Unless you've found the Colt and are willing to let me do that spell this is our only option."

He sighed and pushed off of the desk. "Fine, but we leave Ruby out of this. We'll find a way without her help."

******

Alex knelt on the basement floor drawing symbols as Sam chanted. She struck the match and watched it fall into the bowl causing sparks to fly.

"You know phones work too." The couple turned at the sound of the voice to see their favorite blonde demon. "Hey Alex, Sam," she nodded to them. "How's tricks?"

Sam was not in the mood for small talk. Dean was running out of time, and waiting around for Ruby to get to the point was not an option.

"Did you know?" he asked.

"Uhm- gunna need a tiny bit more."

"About Dean's deal. That Lilith holds the contract."

"Yes, I did."

Alex wasn't sure how to feel about Ruby's revelation. Narrowing her eyes she spoke, "You mean to tell me that you knew Lilith held the contract this whole time and it never occurred to you that that might be an important piece of information?"

"You weren't ready."

"For what?"

"If I told you, you three yahoos would have just charged after her half-cocked and Lilith would have peeled the meat from the Winchesters' pretty, pretty faces and made you fight on her side."

"Well, we're ready now," Sam said. "I want your knife."

Ruby studied the both of them for a moment before she started to circle them, slowly. "You're right about one thing. You are ready." She inclined her head towards Sam before turning her gaze to Alex. "You on the other hand. . . I'm starting to wonder if you even have what it takes." Alex just continued to stare her down. "Anyway now's the time. Lilith's guard is down.

"Is that so?" Alex asked, sarcasm evident in her tone.

Ruby continued as if she hadn't heard the witch's comment. "She's on shore-leave. A little R&R."

"What the hell's that mean?" Sam asked.

"Trust me, you don't wanna know. You didn't lose those hex bags I gave you?"

Alex was losing her patience. "We've got 'em," she said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"So you'll give us the knife?" Sam asked.

"No."

"But you just said –"

Alex listened in silence as the two began to argue about the validity of their plan. She had almost completely tuned them out when Ruby started in on Sam's psychic abilities. They hadn't manifested themselves since they killed the yellow-eyed demon, but Ruby seemed to think they were just lying in wait to be used again.

"Why do you think Lilith is so scared of you two?" She now had the hunter's full attention. "If one of you wanted, you could wipe her off the map without moving a muscle. Together you are unstoppable."

"I don't believe you," said Sam. "Alex sure, but me…. I can't do anything."

"Yes you can."

"And you decide to tell me this just now?"

"Uhm… demon. Manipulative's kinda in the job description. Fact is, is that you would have never considered it. Not until you were-"

"Desperate enough?"

Ruby just shrugged as Alex looked on. She could feel the anger begin to bubble up inside of her. Sam had stopped looking at Ruby, but Alex was looking at her as if she wanted to set her on fire. A clap of thunder could be heard in the background. It was so close that the walls around them began to shake. Sam's eyes snapped Alex's face, the rage there was evident. It was the same look he saw when she had discovered Bela's betrayal. This was not good.

"Alex."

He placed his hand gently on her shoulder. The touch was light, his voice soothing. Alex closed her eyes and took a deep calming breath. He could feel her shoulders relax under his hand, causing him to relax as well.

"Look," Ruby said. "Call me a bitch, hate me all you want, but I have never lied to you Sam. Not ever. And I'm telling you. You can save you brother, even if she can't, and I can show you how."

"So that's you huh?" Dean said as her emerged from the shadows. "Our slutty little Yoda."

"Dean." She turned to look at him. All of the gentleness in her tone had vanished. "Charming as ever."

"Aw, I knew you'd show up, because I knew those two wouldn't listen."

Sam and Alex refused to look Dean in the eye even though they could tell that he was staring them down. Sam felt nothing but shame. Alex's emotions on the other hand were still mixed with anger, anger towards the manipulative hell bitch standing before her.

"You are not going to teach Sam anything."

Ready with a quick retort, Ruby turned and started to open her mouth but quickly stopped when she felt Dean roughly grab her from behind. "What are you…?" He let her go and wiggled her knife before her eyes. "Really? You still want to go up against Lilith with only a little pig sticker? Your brother is carrying a bomb inside of him and we'd be stupid not to use it."

Sam tried to intercede on the demon's behalf, but it was no use. Dean would hear none of it. He looked to Alex for help.

"Dean's right Sam. She just wants to manipulate you the same way she was trying to manipulate me. We can't trust her."

"You know what….fine!" Ruby threw her hands up in frustration. "Go on. Go get yourselves killed see if I care." The trio of hunters moved past her and started to ascend the stairs. "I WISH I COULD BE THERE TO HEAR YOU SCREAM!"

******

The boys finished loading up the Impala as Alex and Bobby came up behind them, both carrying bags of weapons and supplies. Alex was surprised to see that the boys were about to leave without her.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"We got the knife," said Dean.

"And you intended to use it without me?"

"Alex look," began Sam. "I know you want to go with us, but what if Ruby was right and Lilith tries to use you against us. I couldn't risk losing you too."

"Sam I'll be fine. Don't worry about me. Okay?"

As he looked into her eyes, Sam knew he was defeated. There was no way he could ever really deny her anything. He nodded and moved aside to let her put her things in the trunk, Bobby was right behind her.

"Hey Bobby look," Dean began. "This is about me and Sam. Okay? This isn't your fight."

To say that Bobby was pleased about the turn of events would be less than truthful. He had every intention of going with the boys. If Alex wasn't about to stand for them leaving her behind, he sure as hell wasn't going to let them out of his sight. What Dean said made his blood boil. "The hell it isn't!" He marched towards Dean and did not stop until he was directly in front of the younger hunter. "Family don't end with blood boy. Besides you need me."

"Bobby."

"You're playing wounded. Tell me, how many hallucinations have you had so far?"

Dean was shocked. He hadn't said a word to anyone about what had been going on. Hell, he wasn't even sure what was real most of the time. Half the time he looked at Sam and Alex their faces were distorted. If he hadn't known any better, he could have sworn that Alex's eyes were glowing when they were talking to Ruby.

Bobby knowing what was going on shouldn't have been all that surprising. Actually with the amount of researching they had all been doing, it wouldn't be a surprise if everyone knew what he had been going through. Fighting would be pointless. It was easy for him to see that. Even if he tried to force the issue of Alex and Bobby going with them, they would only follow.

After a few more moments of arguing, it was decided that the boys would take the Impala while Bobby and Alex followed in Bobby's car. None of them were sure what they would find when they reached their destination, but they all knew they would be in for the fight of their lives.

******

Dean watched through binoculars as the others scoped out the area around the house. The way the little girls face was twisted, he was sure that was Lilith. Only a demon could be that hideous. Alex was the first to return.

"Looks like everything is pretty quiet. Any sign of Lilith?"

"Yeah it's the little girl."

"How do you know?"

He quickly explained what he had seen to her. She gave nothing away as she listened to all the elder Winchester had to say. Placing a hand on his arm, she let him know that it was okay. He didn't have to explain anything else to her; in fact, she would explain it to the others for him.

******

Demons were everywhere. It was almost as if Lilith knew they were coming. Dean pointed them out to the others. They needed a plan and they needed it fast.

"We'll just have to sneak in," said Alex

"Then what? Give a 'Colombian necktie' to a ten year old girl? Come on!"

"Do you have a better idea?"

"Will you to just shut up," Bobby said angrily. "You three sneak inside, and I'll keep Mr. Rogers and all his friends over there busy." He dashed off to enact his plan while the others slowly started moving towards the house.

Getting across the first law was simple. There were high bushes and a hedge for them to hide behind practically the whole way. Getting over the tall fence would prove to be the more difficult part. Dean managed to get enough of a grip on the top that he was able to pull himself over. Alex on the other hand, was not tall enough to reach the top on her own. Even when she jumped she came up a few inches short. "Here." She turned to find Sam bending over, his hands cupped before him indicating that he was ready to give her a boost. They shared a quick smile before she placed her right foot in his hands and up she went.

******

Dean landed with a small thud. Gathering his composure, he was about to move forward when somebody suddenly grabbed him and threw him up against the fence. Looking up, he saw the last person he wanted to see. Ruby gave him a small twisted smile as she placed her forearm against his throat.

"I'd like my knife back, please. Or your neck snaps like a chicken bone."

The demon was so focused on the man in front of her that she did not hear the soft impact of Alex's feet of the grass a few feet away. Seeing the scene before her, Alex quickly drew the knife and made her way behind Ruby, placing the blade at her neck when she spoke.

"He doesn't have it. Take it easy."

Ruby backed away slowly as Sam landed beside his brother and took in the scene.

"Alex give me the knife before you hurt yourself," said Ruby.

"You'll get it when this is over."

The group started moving again. Time was running out fast, and they still needed to get in there and kill Lilith before they got killed themselves. Demons were starting to take notice of them, and the chase was on.

Sprinting across the lawn, they barreled onto the porch. Sam quickly dropped to his knees and started trying to pick the lock.

"What the hell is taking Bobby?" Alex asked as she started to panic. Just as she began to do the calculations in her head to determine how big of a circle she needed to create, the sprinklers came on. All of the demons began to scream in agony as the holy water landed on their flesh. 'Way to go Bobby,' Alex thought as she looked on.

"I got it!" Sam yells triumphantly as the lock gave way and they all rushed through the door.

"You think Lilith knows we're here?" asked Dean.

Ruby sounded less than sympathetic when she answered. "Probably," she said.

Alex took point as they slowly moved into the living room. The magical knife in her hand provided her with little comfort as she searched for the demon that held Dean's life in her hands. Her hand shook ever so slightly. The tremble did not go unnoticed by Sam, who had been keeping a close eye on her the whole time. He placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to stop her forward progress. "Let me," he said as he held out a hand for the knife. Alex gladly handed it to him.

They came across the family huddled together in fear of the thing claiming to be the little girl they had once loved.

"Sir, where is your daughter?" Sam asked.

"It's not… it's not her anymore."

"Where is she?"

"Upstairs. In her room."

The two brothers quickly exchanged a look. Sam locked eyes with Alex, showing her what they were planning on doing. She nodded. She wanted to tell him to be careful, that she loved him. She wanted to hold him in her arms and kiss him like he was never coming home, because the truth was, there was a real possibility that none of them would make it out of this alive.

She quickly brushed those thoughts from her mind. 'That's not going to help anyone Alex.' She watched the boys move towards the stairs before turning her attention back to the terrified family before her.

"Okay, okay. Listen to me," she whispered in a soothing voice. "I want you to go downstairs to the basement. Make a line of salt at the door behind you. Do you understand me?"

The man who she assumed was Mr. Fremont nodded his head in understanding before pulling his family down the basement stairs. As soon as she was sure the family was safe, Alex turned and started running up the stairs, Ruby hot on her heels.

******

Sam opened the door to the little girl's room and found her exactly where the family said she would be. He moved soundlessly across the room, Dean close behind. Thoughts of the family downstairs started to creep into his mind. They loved the little girl lying in the bed before him. Not that long ago she had been like any other little girl. She played with her toys and went for walks with her grandfather. Her mommy read her bedtime stories after her father kissed her goodnight. She had been innocent. He pushed those thoughts aside as he raised the knife high above his head, preparing to deliver the death blow.

Dean took his eyes from his younger brother, his gaze falling on the little girl. His eyes grew wide at what he saw. Before him was not the twisted demented face of a demon, but the soft, sweet, angelic on of a little girl who was fast asleep. Quickly, he reached out to stay his brother's hand.

"It's not her."

******

Alex met the boys half way up the stairs. Sam was carrying a little girl in his arms.

"Where's the family?" he asked.

"They're in the basement," Alex answered, the confusion she felt evident in her voice.

Sam quickly moved past her. Looking to Dean, he quickly explained that Lilith was no longer possessing the little girl. Lilith had in fact vanished.

"Well, I hate to be a 'told you so'." Ruby began.

"Shut up," Alex berated her. "Where is she? Where's Lilith?"

"I don't know."

The group moved into the living room. Ruby explained to them that the holy water sprinklers would serve as a very poor deterrent to Lilith. Alex's mind began to race. There had to be another way. Time was running out quickly. 'The spell, I can still try the spell.'

"Dean," she started, "let me try the spell."

"What?!"

"The fusion spells. Let me try it."

"Alex, we don't have the Colt," said Sam.

"I know that. If Ruby helps me I can do it." The demon raised her eyebrows at the young woman. "Look we're running out of time. Dean please."

"No way. You are not doing something like that for me."

"Dean…"

"No!"

"But… you'll die."

"I know."

The air grew thick with the pregnant pause. Sam slowly began to tremble as he spoke. "I'm not going to let you go to Hell, Dean."

His brother looked to him sadly. "Yes you are." There was no anger in his voice, just acceptance. He looked at Alex, her eyes begging him to let her help. He just shook his head. He meant it when he said he wouldn't let her do that spell to save him. It was serious black magic. You didn't just go to a place like that and not have it effect you. He was afraid that if he let her go there, she would never be the same again, and he needed her to be. He needed her to be there for Sam. "I'm sorry," he said as he turned his gaze once again to his brother. Tears were already starting to form in Sam's eyes.

Sam's voice was broken as he asked his brother, "Then what am I supposed to do?"

Dean's heart broke. The look on Sam's face was one of utter defeat.

"Keep fighting," he said. "Take care of my wheels." He paused to look at the young woman running around the room, trying to find a way to stop the hellhound they all knew would be coming soon to take him. "Take care of Alex. She loves you man. Don't forget that. Hell marry her if you want to. She's probably the only girl I've ever met that can handle our crazy fucked up life." He tried to smile as he said the last part, trying to lighten the mood. Sam gave a weak smile and nodded slightly as he took his eyes away from his brother to look at the woman he had grown to care for so deeply. "Sam, remember what dad taught you…okay?"

Sam just nodded as he struggled to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall. He couldn't even look at Dean.

"Remember what I taught you," Dean finished as his own eyes began to fill with tears as he heard the terrifying sound of the bells beginning to chime.

When Dean turned to Sam, Alex began frantically spreading her magical mixture around the room in hopes of stopping any hellhound from entering. She had been working on the herbal mixture for days in case something happened and they needed to buy some time. She could only hope that it would work. Then it happened. The grandfather clock across the hall chimed twelve.

Alex froze in fear. That's when she noticed the smell. A smell, not unlike rotten eggs and burning flesh, filled her nostrils. Slowly, she turned her head to look for the source. That's when she saw it. Her eyes grew wide in fright.

"Dean…?" she managed weakly.

The older Winchester looked to the young woman. She was not looking at him, but at something in the doorway. He followed her gaze and there it was, one of the largest creatures he had ever seen. It could only be one thing – a hellhound. It looked like a cross between a Rottweiler and a Doberman with patches of flesh missing from its inky black hide, revealing the scorched muscles underneath, but it was far larger than any dog he had ever seen before. It's shoulders probably came up as high as his waist. It was massive, and it was here for him.

Alex started to slowly back towards the rest of the group as the creature began to growl.

"Hellhound," Dean said.

Sam asked him where it was, but when he looked at the spot his brother was pointing too, but he saw nothing. There was only empty space.

"Go!" Alex screamed as she started pushing the boys into the adjacent room.

Sam and Ruby slammed the doors closed behind them and leaned all of their weight against them to keep them closed. Alex tossed a second bag of her goofer dust to Dean, and they quickly made a line at the base of the door. The pounding suddenly stopped, and for a brief moment, they all paused and held their breath, waiting for the next attack.

When it didn't come right away Alex sprinted to the windowsill and started placing the last of her magic powder there.

"Give me the knife," Ruby ordered Sam, "maybe I can fight it off."

Sam looked at her, a bit confused for a moment before asking, "What?"

"Come on! That dust won't last forever."

He started to hand over the weapon when the sound of his brother calling for him to wait forced him to stop.

"You wanna die?" Ruby questioned, still holding her hand out for the blade.

Dean had not really looked at Ruby's face since they had rejoined her and Alex on the steps. Now that he was, he knew instantly that they had all been had.

"Sam," he said," that's not Ruby. It's not Ruby!"

Alex heard Dean's proclamation and turned in time to see Sam being flung up against the wall hard enough for him to drop his weapon. The blonde turned with a slow smile as she made a pushing motion with her hand, causing Dean to fly backwards without even touching him. He hit the table in front of Alex with so much force that it cause it to slide backwards, pinning her between it and the wall. That's when she knew. That was the moment she realized who she was in the room with.

"Lilith," she said softly.

"Hello Alexandra," the demon replied. "I'm so happy we could finally meet." Lilith's eyes suddenly rolled back into her head until they were all white as she smiled, causing Alex's stomach to churn.

"How long you been in her?" Dean asked.

"Not long, but I like it. It's all grown up and pretty."

"And where's Ruby?" Sam asked, still unable to move from his position against the wall.

"She was a very bad girl so I sent her far, far away." Sauntering over to Sam, a sweet innocent smile formed on her face. Trailing a finger up his chest she said, "Hello Sam. I've wanted to meet you for a long time." Grabbing his chin, she forced him to face her before forcing a kiss onto his lips.

"Don't you touch him!" screamed Alex.

Lilith dropped Sam's face, and slowly turned back to the other two occupants of the room. "I'm sorry Your Majesty. I guess I should have asked permission first." A little giggle escaped her lips. "I can see why you like him so much. His lips are soft."

"Right, so you have me. Let my brother go," Sam begged.

"Silly goose. You wanna bargain, you have to have something that I want. You don't."

"So, is this your big plan, huh?" Dean asked from his position atop the table. "Drag me to Hell. Kill Sam. Make Alex you little slave. And then what? Become queen bitch?"

"I don't have to answer to puppy chow." They all watched in horror as she walked to the door and turned the handle. "Sick 'em boy."

Alex watched helplessly as the hellhound came bounding towards Dean. Her eyes flash to his face, and their eyes lock. In that one brief instant she could see the pleading in his eyes. But it is not for himself he was pleading. It is for his brother, for Sam. He was begging her to look after Sam, to make sure that he would be alright - then he was gone.

His screams as the hellhound pulled him from the table and began to rip him apart filled the air. Alex screamed his name and reached for his hand as he was dragged from the table, but she couldn't save him. She could only watch as the demon dog raked it's claws across his body, and she began to cry.

Sam screamed hysterically for Lilith to stop it as his brother's screams reach his ears. He watched as large claw marks appeared out of nowhere on his back. Dean rolled onto his back, trying to get away from his invisible attacker, but a new set of marks appeared on his chest. He watched in horror as blood poured from his brother's body. His screams had stopped, but he was not dead yet. Sam could still see him struggling for breath.

Convinced that her work was almost done, Lilith turned her attention to Sam. She raises her hand and a white light began to erupt from it. Alex saw the light from the corner of her eye and tore her gaze from the dying Dean to see Lilith about to kill her beloved. "NO!" she screamed as she reached a hand out towards him. A burst of energy shoot from her own hand and formed a protective shield around Sam.

As the white light faded away, Lilith was stunned to see Sam still standing before her completely unharmed. Looking from her hand to him, she slowly put two and two together. "You…" she stammers as she looked at Alex in wonderment.

The realization of what she has just done finally dawned on Alex. Once again, she has done a spell without realizing it, without even meaning to or knowing how it should be done. Pushing the table with all her might, she started to move away from the wall and towards the demon before her as Sam slowly slide down the wall.

Lilith saw them advancing and quickly held up her hand, commanding them back, but it had no effect.

A determined look formed on Sam's face as he bent down to pick up Ruby's knife. Fear was etched on Lilith's face as he slowly stood before her, raising the weapon high. "I don't think so" are the only words he said before beginning to lower his hand.

Black smoke suddenly erupted from Lilith's mouth before she fell unconscious to the floor. The bitch had escaped. Sam turned his attention to his brother and drops the knife. Dean wasn't moving. He wasn't breathing. Tears began to spill from his eyes as he moved forward, unaware of his own movement.

Alex heart broke as she watched Sam slowly sink down to the floor. He was kneeling in his brother's blood as he scooped Dean into his arms. "No…No… Dean…" poured from his lips like a mantra as Alex slowly moved towards him, her vision blurred by her own tears. She sat on the floor next to him and looked at what was left of the handsome man that had been Dean Winchester.

His clothes were completely soaked through with blood; some had even splashed onto his face. His green eyes stared unblinking up at the ceiling, unfocused, lifeless. Alex gently reached over and closed his eyes for the final time before wrapping her arms around Sam as the both wept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what y'all think.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Supernatural or any of the characters found there in. Alex and the Mayfair mythology are my own.

It had been seven days. Seven long agonizing days since Dean's death, and Alex was afraid she was losing Sam. She stood looking out her bedroom window thinking back to all that had happened the past few days.

******Flashback******

Tears started to fall down her face as she held a weeping Sam tighter. Dean was gone. The brother that he had looked up to and admired for so long had just died in his arms. It was more than he could bear, and all that she could do was hold him.

Bobby walked slowly into the room and froze at the sight before him. Dean's bloody body lay lifeless in his brother's arms as Sam and Alex cried over him. He slowly moved towards them. Alex, hearing his footfalls, quickly lifted her head. His heart broke at the sight of the tears streaming down her face.

"Daddy," she said when their eyes locked.

Sam looked up too. "Bobby."

He looked down at the two people left in this world that he considered family. Sorrow was the only emotion showing on either of their faces. Kneeling beside them, he hugged them both. He looked to Dean and choked back his own wave of emotion in an attempt to remain strong for the others. "Come on," he said. "We need to get out of here before the cops show up."

Sam nodded against his chest. They all slowly released their embrace, and moved to collect Dean's body. Sam grabbed his shoulders and Bobby his ankles. Alex moved quickly to make sure that all the doors were open for them as they carried Dean out to the Impala.

******End of Flashback******

Alex watched as Sam tossed and turned on the bed, lost in a restless slumber. In truth she was just happy he was sleeping at all. Dean's death was always going to be hard on him. She knew that, but this was starting to get scary. She completely understood when he insisted on digging his brother's grave alone. Bobby had tried to convince him to give Dean a hunter's funeral, but Sam couldn't burn his brother's body. He was convinced that there was going to be a way to bring his brother back. When that happened Dean would need his body.

The only spell she knew that would bring someone back from the dead would corrupt them. It wouldn't really have been Dean anymore. Sam hadn't taken that well. He crawled into a bottle of Dean's favorite whiskey and hadn't crawled out since.

******

Sam sat on the hood of the Impala, drinking his way through his second bottle of the day. Each day without his brother was like a knife in his gut. Dean had wanted him to move on, to keep going. But he just couldn't. It wouldn't be the same.

The soft crunching of gravel caught his attention. He turned his head to see Alex coming towards him, a wary smile on her face.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey," he replied before turning back to look at the sunset and took another drink of whiskey.

"Sam… why don't you come in and have something to eat?"

"I'm not hungry."

She let out a sigh before stepping closer. "Dean wouldn't want you to be like this."

"How the hell do you know what Dean would have wanted huh?" The anger in his voice frightened her. "Besides he didn't want to go to Hell, but we both know how that turned out."

"Sam… I"

"What?!"

Alex knew she needed to tread lightly. Sam hardly ever drank like this. If he was downing bottle after bottle it meant only one thing. He was in pain, and pain she could help him with.

"Let me help you."

"Can you bring Dean back?"

"No," she said dejectedly.

"Then you can't help me."

"Yes I can."

"How?"

She closed the last few feet between them. "Like this." She placed a hand on the side of his face, and the deep drowning sadness slowly started to seep from his body to hers.

Sam realized what she was doing and began to panic. "No," he said as he pushed her way. "Don't."

Alex just stared at him as Sam held her writs. "Why not? Sam please."

"No. I don't want you to go through this."

"What makes you think I'm not?" Sam's brow furrowed in confusion. "Don't you think that watching you drown you sorrows in bottle after bottle of that stuff doesn't hurt? I know you loved your brother Sam. I loved Dean too, but he's gone and nothing is going to change that." He looked away from her. "You have no idea how much I wish I could bring Dean back. I would march into Hell myself and drag him out if I could, but I can't." Tears started to form in her eyes as her voice cracked ever so slightly. "I love you Sam, and watching you slowly drink yourself to death is killing me."

Sam dragged his eyes up to meet hers. "I don't know what else to do Alex."

"Yes you do." She slowly took the bottle from his hand. "Keep hunting. Keep fighting. Giving up is the last thing Dean would want you to do."

He nodded slowly.

"Come on," Alex said as she took Sam's hand. "Let's get you something to eat."

******

She took one last look at the man passed out drunk on the bed before closing the door as quietly as possible. The fact that she was able to get the bottle out of his hand earlier that day gave her some hope that she'd get her Sammy back. Okay, maybe he wouldn't be exactly the same. Losing his brother was going to leave a mark on his soul. There would be no escaping that, but Alex was hoping that she'd be able to get Sam back on his feet soon.

"How's he doing?" Bobby asked as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

"He's asleep."

Alex walked into the study and sat down next to the fireplace and lost herself in the flames. Time passed slowly by as the two hunters sat in silence. The sound of Bobby clicking on his desk lamp brought Alex back to the real world.

"Guess I better go make some dinner and start a pot of coffee. Sam will probably be up soon. How does pancakes, bacon, and eggs for dinner sound? He's gunna need the carbs to fight off the hangover."

Bobby gave Alex a weak little smile. "Sure thing babygirl. I'll go run and get us some more syrup for the pancakes."

"Thanks, Dad."

He patted her shoulder gently as he walked past her.

"He'll be fine."

Alex nodded her thanks. Once she heard the front door close and the old clinker start up, she stood and slowly made her way to the kitchen to start dinner. Moving quickly around the room, Alex collected all of her ingredients and started mixing them together in one of the giant metal mixing bowls Bobby's wife had purchased so many years ago.

The sound of the door opening again surprised her. "That was fast," she said as she put the bowl down on the counter. "Did you forget something?" There was no answer. "Dad?" Alex started to exit the kitchen when a familiar mechanic growl reached her ears. "Sam!?"

When there was no answer, she raced up the stairs to the room she and Sam shared. He was nowhere to be seen. Hurrying to the window she looked outside to see the red tail lights of the Impala fading in the distance.

She sighed and ran her hands through her hair. 'Its okay, Alex,' she thought to herself. 'He just needs some time alone.' Flinging herself on to the bed in frustration, she groaned. She threw her hands above her head, and they came to rest on something other than the sheets and blankets. Grasping the object tightly in her hands she realized it was a book. Once she pulled it in front of her face she realized it was not just any book. It was John Winchester's journal, open to a very specific page. Her eyes grew wide as she started to panic.

Throwing the book to the floor, Alex pulled her phone from her pocket and ran down the stairs as she dialed Bobby's number. It ran three times before there was finally an answer.

"Sam's gone," she said in a panic.

"What?"

"He's gone. I heard the Impala start up. I ran upstairs hoping it was just my imagination, but he wasn't there. Then I found his dad's journal on the bed and it was open."

By this point the panic in her voice was reaching a fever pitch.

"What was it open to?" Bobby asked. When there was only heavy breathing in response he spoke again. "Alex?"

"Sam was reading the page on crossroads demons."

"God damn it Sam! Do you think that's where he went?"

"Yeah I'm going after him. If you don't hear from me in half an hour come find me."

With that she ended the call and rushed to her bike, praying that she could stop Sam from doing something stupid.

******

Tears had started to blur his vision as he drove. When he woke up alone thoughts of his brother had filled Sam's head with painful memories. That's when he saw the worn leather volume sitting on the bedside table. Picking it up, it had fallen open to the page like magic. It made perfect sense. If Dean could make a deal with the Devil to bring him back than he could do the same for him.

The crossroads came into view under the headlights. Sam slammed on the breaks and stumbled from the car. Going to the trunk, he grabbed one of his many fake IDs and added it to the box of items he needed.

Dropping to his knees in the middle of the road, Sam started to dig a hole. He put the box in the whole and then quickly stood. He looked everywhere but there was no sign of the demon. Turning in a circle he saw nothing.

"Come on!" he yelled in anger and frustration.

"You called?"

Sam quickly turned and found a dark haired woman in a red dress grinning at him.

"Hello, Sam."

"I want to make a deal."

She chuckled. "Let me guess…. You for your brother?" Sam nodded. "Sorry not an option."

Confusion knit his brow as he watched the demon turn her back on him. "What… what do you mean?"

"I mean," she said turning. "That we don't have a deal."

"Yes we do," he said desperately. "You bring Dean back, and I give you my soul."

"And what? I come collect in a year."

"Yeah. It's the same deal my brother got."

"You're not your brother."

"Then what will it take?"

She paused and placed a finger to her lips in thought. "I don't want to wait that long."

Sam swallowed. Doubt crept into his mind for the first time. "How long will you give me?"

Slowly, she sauntered closer to him. "One night."

"What?!"

"You want your brother back don't you?" Sam nodded. "Then here's the deal… I bring your brother back in exchange for your soul, and I give you one night. One night to say good-bye to your precious little witch, and then I'll take you in your sleep before the sun comes up. Do we have a deal?"

He didn't say anything as he stood their pondering the demon's offer. If he said yes, his brother would be free from Hell, but he would never see him. He would go back to Bobby's house and say good-bye to Alex. They would make love until they were too tired to move and then fall asleep in each other's arms, and when she woke up in the morning he would be gone.

The ground below his feet was suddenly the most interesting thing around him. He pondered the future he would never have and the brother he knew he would be saving. He made his decision and raised his head to speak when the roar of a motorcycle caught his attention.

Alex sent gravel flying as she brought the bike to a skidding stop. "Sam stop!" she screamed as she ditched the bike and started running towards him.

"Alex… I…," he stuttered as he watched her throw her helmet to the ground.

"Sam please," she begged as she looked frantically back and forth between him and the crossroads demon behind him. "I love you. We can get through this… together."

He watched the tears roll down her face as she reached a trembling hand out to him. Red rimmed eyes went from her face to the demon behind him.

"Sam?" Alex asked when she saw his hesitation. "Please, let's just go home."

He looked to her one last time and saw the tears forming in her eyes. The pain and sadness in her eyes broke him. Looking at the demon he said, "Okay... Let's go home."

******

Alex followed the Impala all the way back to Bobby's house. When they finally arrived, Alex didn't say a word to Sam. She kept her head down as she walked past him into the house and went straight up the stairs to bed.

Sam looked on in shock when Alex didn't even look at him. He sat behind the wheel and watched her walk into the house without looking at him. He cut the ignition and got out of the Impala. Before he could even finish climbing the porch steps Bobby was standing in front of him.

"Bobby I…" he began but was cut short by the right hook Bobby landed to his jaw.

"You stupid son of a bitch!" Bobby yelled as Sam looked at him in shock. Sam rubbed his jaw tenderly as he looked to the man he loved like a father. "What the Hell did you think you were going to accomplish by making a deal with a demon?!"

"I wanted to bring D…."

"I know, I know. You miss your brother and you want him back. Well news flash genius we all miss him, but trading yourself for your brother won't solve anything. What do you think that would do to that girl upstairs hu?"

Guilt filled Sam as he tried to speak. "I didn't…"

"That's right you didn't think. Alex has been worried sick about you. Watching you try to drink yourself to death was bad enough. She was in a full blown panic when she called me."

Sam looked at Bobby in surprise at the revelation.

"She called you?"

"Yeah. She went upstairs and all she found was your daddy's journal open to the page on the crossroads demon." Sam ran a hand down his face, sobering instantly. "She called me saying she was going out to look for you and now she goes up stairs crying." The younger hunters face fell. He hadn't seen her face as she waked past. Her hair had hidden the tears from him. "Now you listen and you listen good." Bobby shoved a finger in Sam's face. "She may not be my blood, but that's my little girl up there. For some godforsaken reason she loves you, and watching you throw your life away is eating her alive. All she's been doing the past few days is watching you and worrying about what you're going to do."

For the second time in the past hour Sam felt his eyes start to water. Alex had tried to tell him. Earlier that day she had gone out to him and tried to let him know that he wasn't just hurting himself. He was hurting her too. He had just been too drunk and blind to see it.

"I know Bobby," he said. "It won't happen again."

With that, Bobby nodded and allowed Sam to pass him by. Walking into the house he heard nothing. Slowly he made his way up the stairs towards the room he knew Alex would be in, their bedroom. The door creaked as he pushed it open to reveal Alex lying on the bed. Although her back was to him he could see her shoulders shaking ever so slightly.

"Alex," he called softly.

She had tried to hide from him by pulling herself into a ball. She didn't want him to see her cry. She hated crying. The fact that she was able to keep the sobbing noises from escaping her lips proved her control. If it had not been for that it would be pouring down rain outside, but she held it all in as much as she could.

The mattress sank with his weight as Sam sat down on the bed behind Alex. Whispering her name ever so softly he placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her to look at him. There were tear marks down her face and her eyes were turning red from tears. He swept a piece of hair from her face as he pulled her into his arms.

"God Alex, I'm so sorry."

"Don't do that to me," she said, her voice breaking slightly. "When I saw you standing there with that demon, I was so afraid. I can't lose you, Sam."

He just held her tighter to his chest as tears started to run down his face as well. Tangling his fingers in her hair he pulled her head back until he could see her face.

"You won't. I promise. I love you, Alex," he said.

"I love you too."

He kissed her softly before lying back on the bed and pulling her to lay on his chest. Not another word was spoken that night. They just held each other. Each taking comfort in the others presence until sleep overcame them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please send feedback.


	25. Chapter 25

Sam squinted hard against the harsh light streaming in through the window. He closed his eyes and rolled over. Reaching out he found the bed next to him empty and cold. Alex was nowhere to be seen. He listened for a moment, hoping to hear her in the shower, but everything was silent.

He sat up with a groan and ran his hands through his hair. Hangovers were terrible, and this one was murder. The drum line of a college marching band was giving a free concert inside his skull. A wave of nausea hit him like a twelve ton truck. Sam took off for the bathroom in a dead sprint.

Falling over the toilet, Sam emptied the contents of his stomach. He hadn't eaten much the day before, but every ounce of it now rested in the white porcelain bowl. He rested his head against the smooth surface and let its coolness sooth him.

He waited a moment, making sure that he was done. When he was certain that the sickness had passed, he rose slowly to his feet and stumbled over to the sink. He rinsed out his mouth with water and reached for his toothbrush. Glancing in the mirror, he did not recognize the man staring back at him. The man in the mirror had hideously blood shot eyes rimmed in red. His face was puffy with drink and the scraggly beginnings of a beard covered his jaw. 'How can Alex put up with me?' he thought to himself. 'I'm a mess.'

After staring at himself for a moment, Sam turned and started the shower. He didn't bother to let it heat up before he stepped in. The sting of the cold water hitting his skin brought him back to the world. As he ran his fingers through his hair, he thought about everything that had happened in the past month. Images flashed before his eyes. He saw Dean's blood soaked body lying motionless on a hardwood floor, Bobby looking at him in sympathy over a pile of fast food rappers, the man behind the counter at the liquor store giving him a strange look when he bought his third bottle that week, and finally Alex. She was standing in the middle of the road, hair all mushed from her helmet, begging him to come with her and leave it all behind. There were tears running down her cheeks and the memory of the look on her face was enough to break his heart all over again.

******

She heard the shower turn on upstairs and felt the corner of her mouth quirk up slightly.' At least he's making an effort today,' she thought. 'That's more than yesterday.' She continued to look through the papers Bobby had brought in that morning. Most of the articles were the usual boring news. There were your standard job postings, local news, and boring obituaries. One, however, caught her attention. She was so entrenched in reading the article that she didn't hear someone coming down the stairs and stopping to stand behind her.

Alex jumped at the feel of a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey."

She quickly turned and smiled when she saw Sam, obviously suffering from a severe hangover, but clean shaven, with a smile on his face.

"Hey," she said in return. "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah."

"I'll make waffles." She slid her cup of coffee towards him. "Drink this. I'll go make some waffles. You look like you could use it."

Sam nodded his gratitude as he watched Alex move across the room and started pulling items from the pantry. Seated at the table, he began to glance around the room until his eyes fell on the newspaper. It didn't take Sam long to figure out which article had Alex entranced. A woman had been found dead in her home of an apparent blow to the head, but there were no signs of anyone else having been in the house or of the weapon used.

"This a case?" he asked.

Alex turned away from her cooking to look at Sam. He held up the paper towards her.

"Maybe," she said leaning against the counter. "I haven't actually looked into it yet."

"Let's go."

"What?"

"Let's go check it out. There could be a real case here."

Concern etched itself into Alex's features. "Are you sure you're up to this? You haven't even really gotten on your feet yet."

He chuckled. "I can handle it."

"Well," she said as she walked towards him with a plate of food in her hand, "let's get you over this hangover first. Then we'll take a look at the job."

******

"And you're sure there was nobody else in the house?" Sam asked the young woman in front of him. They were at the home of Amanda Long. She had been bludgeoned to death in her own home with no signs of anyone else having been there. Sam and Alex were posing as detectives investigating her death.

The young woman looked over at Alex who was searching the rest of the house. "No there was nobody here. They would have showed up on the tapes."

This caught Sam's attention. "What tapes?"

"The home security tapes," she said as she pointed to a small camera up in the corner. "There's nobody on them but Amanda. She just ran into the room and then collapsed."

"Would it be possible for us to see the footage?"

She looked at Alex again. Something about the hunter was setting this woman on edge, and she had no idea why. "Ummm…" Alex looked at her, and they locked eyes. A feeling somewhat akin to someone reaching into her chest and removing a piece of her soul moved through her. She looked away quickly. "Sure. I'll go get them for you."

Sam and Alex huddled around the laptops screen watching the scene unfold before them. A woman they assumed was Amanda Long ran into the living room screaming in terror and looking over her shoulder. There was nobody there. Suddenly, she fell to the floor as if struck from behind. The two hunters looked at each other in confusion. Nobody else was in the room. No object had struck her. At least not that they could see.

The duo thanked the woman for her help. She stepped outside to take a phone call while they took a final look around. As Alex was tracing Amanda's steps she noticed a very old candlestick. It seemed rather out of place with everything else. Alex placed her hand on the object and gasped as a vision began to flash before her eyes.

_A woman ran screaming as a man in coveralls followed her. She tripped over the leg of the table as she looked back at her assailant. He loomed over her. Slowly, he raised the candlestick high above his head. ___

__Sam walked into the room and saw Alex frozen to the spot, eyes rolled into the back of her head. Fear flooded his body. He ran to her and shook her roughly._ _

__"Alex," he called. "Alex!"_ _

__She inhaled sharply as she dropped the candlestick to the floor._ _

__"Alex," Sam asked as he looked at her in concern, "you okay?"_ _

__Alex looked up into his panicked eyes as she struggled to catch her breath._ _

__"I saw it… I saw it all."_ _

******

__Sam still couldn't shake the uneasy feeling he'd had ever since Alex saw her vision. She explained it to him in detail in the car as they drove back to the motel. When they got there he had told her to go take a shower while he did some research. He'd found the candlestick online and had been tracing it back for the last few minutes when Alex emerged from the bathroom._ _

__"Any luck?" she asked._ _

__"Yeah," said Sam as he glanced up. "It looks like Amanda Long got the candle stick at an estate sale a few months back. A couple of weeks before she died she reported that she kept seeing a man in her house, but every time someone came to investigate they didn't find anything. Before that it belonged to a woman named Kristie Daniels."_ _

__"She reported the same thing?"_ _

__"Yeah."_ _

__"Any idea when it started?"_ _

__"Not that I can find. The farthest back I can trace it is to them." He spun the laptop around so that Alex could see the photo._ _

__"That's the couple in my vision."_ _

__"You sure?"_ _

__"Yeah that's the guy that was chasing her with the candle stick. He hit her over the head with it." She pointed to the woman._ _

__Sam quickly spun the computer back around and proceeded to find all he could about the couple. Their names were James and Cloe McKnight. Cloe had died from a blow to the head. Everyone had suspected James killed his wife after finding her in bed with another man, but nobody had ever been able to prove it._ _

__"You think he used the candlestick to kill her?" Sam asked._ _

__"Based on what I saw," Alex replied, "I'd have to go with yes."_ _

__"Then his ghost killed Amanda the same way he killed his wife."_ _

__"Looks like we have a candlestick to burn."_ _

******

__They crept slowly through the darkened house in search of James McKnight's candlestick. Sam lead the way into the foyer as Alex made sure nobody was following them. The candlestick sat in the same place it had earlier. All they had to do was grab it and take it somewhere to burn it. No big deal._ _

__Sam was reaching for the candlestick when Alex's scream suddenly pierced the air. Spinning on his heels, he saw Alex being drug down the hallway by and invisible force._ _

__"Alex!"_ _

__He started to run after her when her voice stopped him._ _

__"Burn it! Burn the candlestick."_ _

__Sam quickly poured salt and lighter fluid on the object. He reached for his lighter and flicked it open, prepared to torch the place. The flame neared the candlestick._ _

******

__The force let Alex go. She looked around frantically seeing a form begin to appear behind Sam. She tried to warn him by screaming his name, but it was too late. The lighter was thrown from Sam's hand as the figure grabbed him around the neck and drug him away from the table. Fear and panic coursed through her veins. On instinct she shut her eyes and focused on the candlestick. She snapped her fingers, and it went up in flames._ _

__The ghost holding Sam screamed as it burst into flames and disappeared. Sam gasped for air and fell to his knees. Alex stood still for a moment, in shock, before running to Sam. He looked up at her in a mixture of awe and horror. She placed a hand on either side of his face to see if he was alright. Suddenly everything became incredibly clear. Without even looking him in the eye she could see his thoughts. He was afraid of her._ _

******

__Alex walked in silence, much the same way she had ridden in the car with Sam. When they got back to their room, she said she was going to go for a walk. He had merely nodded and gone inside without a word. He was scared of her. She had seen it. In truth, if she was honest with herself she was terrified too. She had created fire out of nothing and read Sam's thoughts with a touch of her hand._ _

__"Scary isn't it?"_ _

__Turning quickly, heart racing, Alex's eyes came to rest on a woman she had never seen before._ _

__"Who are you?" she asked._ _

__"I'm surprised you don't recognize me."_ _

__Alex studied her for a second._ _

__"Ruby?"_ _

__"In the flesh."_ _

__"What do you want?"_ _

__"To help you."_ _

__"No thanks. The last time you offered help you almost had me committing murder. I'll figure things out on my own."_ _

__Ruby laughed. "Okay fine. If you don't want my help then maybe Sam will." Alex froze. "I'll help him with his powers."_ _

__"Sam doesn't have any powers."_ _

__"Oh come on. Don't play dumb with me Alexandra. You know exactly what he is capable of. You saw it the same way you saw that he was scared of you. You can't deny it. Kinda like you can't deny that you saw the hellhound. Now why is that I wonder?"_ _

__"Stop it Ruby," said Alex as she turned and strode towards the demon. "I don't want you help. I don't need it and neither does Sam. If you go anywhere near him, I swear to God I will end you. You understand?"_ _

__The venom that dripped from her words was palpable. Ruby looked into her eyes and nodded her agreement. Alex turned and left her there. She left to go tell Sam everything about what had happened that night. She was going to come clean and pray that he would understand. She would either find a way to control her magic or stop using it all together. Either way it was time to let Sam know what was in her head since she could so easily discover what was in his. She was so wrapped in her thoughts that she didn't notice the wicked smile form on Ruby's face as she left._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you think. Feedback is love.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter contains adult content and may not be suitable for all readers.

_2 Months Later ___

__The little store had a surprising variety. Alex looked through rack after rack of items hoping to find something that would get Sam's attention. He had been sneaking out at night for the last month. The first time she had woken up in the middle of the night without him beside her was when he was coming back in. The sound of the door closing was actually what had woken her. Groggily, she had sat up and asked him where he had been. He held up a can of soda and told her he couldn't sleep. She had rubbed his shoulders and fought with everything in her not to see what was going through his mind at that moment, but she had promised him that she would never do that to him. She trusted him._ _

__Alex shifted through the rack in front of her again. Nothing that fit her was grabbing her attention._ _

__"Can I help you find something?" the shop girl asked._ _

__"Uhhh... actually I was looking for something to surprise my boyfriend."_ _

__There was no mistaking the nervousness in Alex's voice as she rubbed her neck. The shop girl just smiled. She had seen this thousands of times. A woman would come in looking for something to help keep the bedroom alive. They would be all nervous and have no idea what to look for, but she always helped them find something that would work._ _

__"I'm sure we can find something he'll like," she said with a knowing smile._ _

__******_ _

__Tracking demons was far simpler than Sam thought. When he first broached the idea of getting revenge on Lilith to Alex, she was skeptical. He didn't blame her. The thought of walking into a room to kill the most powerful demon he had ever seen was terrifying. It was insane. He knew that. When he finally worked up the courage to say something to Alex he expected her to explode on him and tell him how stupid he was for wanting to take on the demon that had killed his brother. Instead she sat there silently for a moment, just thinking about what he had said._ _

__Eventually she just nodded her head and asked where he wanted to start. She did not sound the least bit excited about the idea, but she had forced a smile and looked up at him like he was the only thing in her life that mattered. She trusted him completely, and he was paying her back by sneaking out at night to meet up with Ruby._ _

__He stared at the man tied to the chair in front of him. Taking a deep breath, he extended his hand and focused all of his will and energy into finding the demon inside of him. The man coughed slightly as black smoke bubbled from his mouth._ _

__The blood quickened in Sam's veins to the point that it was pounding in his temples. He raised his other hand to his head as the pain becomes more intense. The demon started to laugh until his laughter was cut short by Ruby jamming her knife into his throat._ _

__Sam downed a couple of aspirin and shut his eyes against the pain. He stood their panting as he looked at the petite brunette before him._ _

__"You're getting stronger and stronger all the time," she said as she looked at the dead man. "Soon you'll be just as strong as your little girlfriend."_ _

__Sam looked at her, brows furrowed. He stood up straight as he brought his breathing back under control._ _

__"What does this have to do with Alex?"_ _

__"Nothing," she said as she walked slowly towards him. Ruby reached up and placed her hand on the side of Sam's face. "You're just willing to do what she won't."_ _

__He stared down at her in bewilderment as she slowly closed the gap between them, her lips inching closer to his own. It took a moment for his brain to register Ruby's intentions. As soon as he realized what she meant to do he pulled away._ _

__"What are you doing?" he asked._ _

__"Sam, it's okay," she purred seductively as she tried to close the gap between them for a second time._ _

__Sam pushed past her and ran a hand down his face as he tried to gather his thoughts. His mind was flying every which way imaginable. If Alex knew he was there at all she would rip him a new one, but if he had actually allowed Ruby to kiss him… it would be over._ _

__Ruby watched him in bewilderment. "What's wrong?"_ _

__"What's wrong? Where do I start?"_ _

__"Is it because of the body?" she asked. "Because I told you it's all me in..."_ _

__He cut her off. "It's not about the damn body Ruby; it's about Alex!" Ruby gave him a sly smile. "If I ever did something like that to her again she would never forgive me. Hell I'm amazed she forgave me at all. I can't put her through that again."_ _

__"But you can sneak out at night to meet up with me for a little psychic workout?"_ _

__Shutting is eyes against her words did not lessen the sting that the truth in them caused. He was lying to Alex every time he walked out the door and told her that he just couldn't sleep and didn't want to wake her or that he wanted a soda from the vending machine down the hall. Alex would be mortified if she knew what was going on._ _

__Alex's powers had grown dramatically over the past few months. He recalled in great detail how scared she had been when she realized that she couldn't control what was happening to her. She had cried into his shoulder as he held her and listened to her tell him how frightened she was. Sometimes when she brushed up against someone on the street she saw and heard everything going through their minds. When she looked at the face of someone possessed by a demon their faces were distorted. Then she brought up wanting to know why she had been able to see the hellhound that had come for Dean_ _

__He'd nearly forgotten about that. It took him a moment, but he worked up his courage and asked her if she had made some sort of deal. Her face had gone white. Frantic words started to flow from her lips. She swore to him that she had never made a deal and knew of no reason why she should be able to see and do the things that she did. Sam had cradled her in his arms for an hour until she had calmed down._ _

__It was not long after that that Alex put herself on lock down. She was so afraid that she would lose control that she stopped doing anything beyond what any hunter could do. She spent time meditating and trying to connect with herself. The amount of self-control she had was amazing. Sam had no idea that one person could have that much discipline._ _

__There were times when he wished he had that same discipline. It was only a week or so after Alex's breakdown when Ruby approached him for the first time. She had said that she could help him get revenge on Lilith. She told him that his psychic powers were not gone only dormant, and she could help him wake them up._ _

__Ruby's hand on his shoulder broke him from his memories._ _

__"Come on Sam," she said. "Isn't it 'cause you're scared to go there with a demon? Because it's wrong and it's bad and we shouldn't?" He didn't respond. "How long has it been since Alex has really been able to let herself go with you? She's probably can't stop focusing on her control long enough to make it worth your while 'cause she's too afraid."_ _

__Those last words were like a knife being twisted in his gut. Doubt slowly started to creep into his mind when he felt Ruby's hands begin to snake around to his chest._ _

__"No," he said as he pushed her away. "There is no way in Hell that this," he pointed between the two of them, "is ever going to happen. So you can just forget about it."_ _

__He grabbed his coat and stormed towards the door._ _

__"What about the body?" she asked. "How am I supposed to get him out of here by myself?"_ _

__Pausing at the door, he turned with malice in his eyes and said, "You figure it out," before slamming the door behind him._ _

__******_ _

__Butterflies were having a dance party in Alex's stomach as she put the final touches on her hair and makeup. The French braid she had put in her hair earlier caused her hair to fall in soft waives around her shoulders and down her back. Light makeup was applied to her face. The charcoal around her eyes caused them to look bright and shining. Light pink gloss completed the look._ _

__She stared crucially at her appearance. The girl at the shop had done a wonderful job helping her find something to catch Sam's eye. She had just been leaving the shop when Sam called to tell her where they would be staying. They had split up to do some research, cover more ground. The moment she saw the place she knew why he picked it. Places like that didn't ask questions about the people that passed through. It was perfect for a pair of hunters. People came and went quickly in these kinds of places. When she saw the heart on the door announcing that she had arrived at room 209 she had to stifle a laugh. They didn't even try to hide the fact that they would rent rooms by the hour. Priceless._ _

__Sam had already brought their things up and put a few of them away. It had caused her to smile. She felt bad about the fact that she had kept him at arm's length while she learned to control her powers again. Using all of her control and a considerable amount of concentration she had been able to make her powers only manifest when she wanted. She was even able to do some basic exercises using fire now._ _

__The sound of a key in the door let her know that Sam was back. _Its show time _, she thought to herself as she snapped her fingers, causing the candles around the room to come to life.___ _

____******_ _ _ _

____The rage that had fueled him when he left Ruby had cooled into mere annoyance. _How could she have thought that I would go along with her on that? _All he wanted to do was see Alex, assure himself that she was still there. As far as he was concerned she was a saint for staying with him this long. He didn't make it easy. There was no doubt about that, but at the end of the day she still loved him. That was one thing he never doubted.___ _ _ _

______Sam let out a deep relaxing breath as he turned the key in the door. Shoulders slumping, he let his chin fall to his chest as the tension of the past few hours melted away._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Alex," he called into the room._ _ _ _ _ _

______His eyes widened as he raised his head to look around the room. Candles flickered softly all around, casting everything in a soft light. Confusion knit his brow as his eyes scanned the room, until they landed on Alex leaning against the bathroom doorframe. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline as he drank her in. She wore a red silk robe, tied loosely to allow him a peak at her supple breasts. _Holy shit. _He could just see the outline of the red lace bra she wore under the robe. Slowly, he drug his eyes down her form, her legs appearing even longer due to the black heels she had on.___ _ _ _ _ _

________"Welcome home," she said with a mischievous smile._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Hi."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Alex pushed away from the wall and sauntered towards him. Each step she took made Sam's heart pound faster. He had always thought of Alex as one of the sexiest women alive, but seeing her in that little red silk robe and heels, she had never been sexier. He just didn't know where it came from._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Alex, what are you...?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________She shushed him by placing a finger on his lips. Placing her hands on his chest, she slowly pushed his open flannel shirt off of his shoulders. "I have some making up to do," she said. Sam looked at her in confusion. "I haven't exactly been the best girlfriend lately."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Alex it's okay. I know you're just. . ."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Scared," she finished for him. "Yeah I was. I don't know why these new powers started, but I've got them under control now." She turned to face one of the candles across the room and waved her hand as if she was snatching the flame from the air and the candle went out. She looked back at Sam with a smile on her face. He looked at her in stunned silence as he watched her snap her fingers and reignite the flame. "I know how to control it now." She tossed his flannel to the side and reached up to run her fingers through his silken hair. "I don't have to be afraid anymore, and I don't have to hold back." Alex pulled Sam's face down to her own and pressed her lips to his._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Sam returned her kiss with unrivaled fervor. The passion that they had been holding back for the last month exploded like a volcano. Hands roamed freely as he slowly undid the tie on her robe and let if flutter to the floor. Stepping back, he took in the vision before him. Alex had on a red bustier trimmed in lace causing her breasts to stand out and beg for his attention. His eyes ran down her body to the matching lace panties she had on. A groan escaped the back of his throat, exciting Alex even more._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Attacking her lips, Sam quickly turned them and pinned Alex against the door. He trailed kisses down to her neck as he grabbed her thighs and lifted her up. Alex wrapped her legs around him and threw her head to the side to allow him better access. She clung to him for dear life as he turned and started walking them to the bed._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Placing her gently upon the bed, Sam leaned back to drink her in once more. The candle light flickered across her skin, making it seem like she was slowly burning from within. She sat up and started to explore his chest with her hands as he undid the clasp of her bra and slide the straps down her arms while she reached for the hem of her shirt. Alex leaned back against the mattress, watching as Sam's muscles rippled while he pulled the shirt over his head. She was not sure what she had done to deserve this Adonis in front of her, but she was so grateful that she found him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________They made quick work of the rest of their clothes, their need to be joined as one too powerful for them to go slowly. Alex's eyes flew open as Sam buried himself deep inside of her. When her vision cleared she noticed the mirrored ceiling above them for the first time. She could see the muscles in his back flex and move as he worked in her, taking her higher and higher until she was standing at the edge of the cliff. Her eyes locked with her own in the reflection as she fell over the edge, the look in her own eyes causing her to scream out Sam's name in ecstasy as he spilled his seed inside of her. The candle flames rose skyward with their voices before going out as the lovers held each other, lost in the afterglow of their passion._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please send feedback. I'd love to hear your thoughts.


	27. Chapter 27

The final rays of the setting sun streamed through the window and across Sam's eyes. He shut them tighter, fighting the inevitable. A small groan reached his ears. Looking down, Sam saw Alex nuzzling his chest as she cuddled closer to his side.

"Hey," he said softly.

A smile spread across her face at the huskiness in his voice. Echoing his soft hey, she grinned up at him and leaned up to kiss him softly on the lips.

"How you feeling?" he asked.

"Fabulous," she replied as she stretched.

Sam's stomach began to growl loudly causing them both to chuckle.

"Hungry?" she asked.

"I guess so," he said, laughter still in his voice. "How does pizza sound?"

"Sounds good."

"Why don't you go ahead and get in the shower while I order us some?"

She uttered a soft okay before sliding out of bed. Sam smiled as he watched her naked form disappear into the bathroom, thinking to himself that he was a lucky man indeed.

******

Alex reclined on the bed after putting on her underwear and one of Sam's t-shirts. The shirt was so large on her that it could serve as a nightgown. She listened to the shower shut off and heard the sound of the curtain as Sam pulled it back. A small smile appeared on her face as she reminisced about how they had spent their time earlier that evening. It was all she could do not to giggle as she thought about the look on Sam's face when she had emerged from the bathroom. _I thought his jaw was going to hit the floor._

__The sound of a knock on the door brought her back from her memories. Her stomach rumbled as she thought about the pizza that had no doubt arrived at last. Pulling herself up off of the bed, Alex grabbed the money for the pizza off of the dresser and moved to the door. She smiled as she reached for the door handle, but the smile quickly faded when she saw what awaited her on the other side._ _

__A man smiled down at her. Instinctively her muscles started to coil, preparing to strike, as she bent her knees slightly. That's when she noticed Bobby standing behind him in the hallway. Her eyes quickly flew from one to the other, scanning their faces. When her eyes met those of the man that looked like her long lost best friend, she scanned the depths of the green orbs in an attempt to find some understanding. Her eyes grew wide._ _

__"Dean…?"_ _

__******_ _

__Sam had just finished putting his clothes on when he heard the door open. The thought of the pizza that had undoubtedly just arrived made his stomach grumble. He began to reach for his razor before noticing something. He never heard the door close. There were no sounds coming from the other room at all. Slowly, he began walking into the other room._ _

__"Hey is…" he began, but the sight of what appeared to be his brother standing in the doorway stopped him dead in his tracks. He swallowed hard as the full force of the shock hit him. His eyes flickered from "Dean", to Bobby, to Alex and back again._ _

__A smile started to form on the face of the one that looked like his brother._ _

__"Heya, Sammy," he said._ _

__Sam still made no move towards him. He watched warily as it stepped past Alex and began moving towards him. Every muscle in his body began to coil as he prepared to strike. Suddenly, Sam lunged forward as he pulled an unseen knife on his would be brother. The creature blocked the attack and move to the side, clearly not wanting to engage in combat._ _

__Alex ran to Sam screaming, "No!" and "Stop!" Bobby managed to get a solid hold on the tall hunter. Sam struggled against Bobby's vise-like grip. He stilled at the feel of Alex's hands on either side of his face, forcing him to look at her._ _

__"Sam," she said, "its Dean."_ _

__"What?"_ _

__"It's him. It's really Dean."_ _

__She gave him a weak yet joyous smile as her eyes began to water. Sam quickly looked between his girlfriend and his brother as he struggled for understanding._ _

__"I know," Dean said. "I look fantastic, huh?"_ _

__Sam studied the man before him. He had the same cocky smile and mirth in his eyes that his brother did whenever he made fun of him. He wore the same clothes. Hell, he even moved like him. Sam chanced a glace back at Alex. She just nodded. His muscles began to relax. Bobby loosened his grip slightly before finally letting him go, convinced that he no longer intended to kill his newly resurrected older brother._ _

__Tears began to swim in his eyes as Sam stepped towards his brother. They embraced in a desperate hug; neither wanting it to end for fear that it was all just a dream. Alex had to fight back her tears as she watched the two brothers reunite. Eventually the brother's parted and just stared at each other. The sound of Bobby clearing his throat caught everyone's attention._ _

__"Alex," he said._ _

__"Hum?"_ _

__"Don't you think you ought to put some pants on?"_ _

__Alex quickly looked down at herself. She had forgotten about her current state of undress. A deep red blush quickly rose in her cheeks._ _

__"Oh god," she said before running from the room._ _

__******_ _

__The group of hunters sat around the room anxiously. Each wanted to know how Dean had returned, but none were willing to breach the subject. After a couple of minutes of growing tension Dean snapped._ _

__"So tell me, what'd it cost?" he asked._ _

__Alex looked at him confused. "What do you mean?"_ _

__"To bring me back. What'd it cost?" He looked directly at his younger brother. "Was it just your soul," glancing at Alex, "or was it something worse?"_ _

__Sam's eyebrows rose on his forehead. "You think I made a deal?"_ _

__"That's exactly what we think," said Bobby._ _

__"Well I didn't."_ _

__"Don't lie to me," demanded Dean._ _

__"I'm not lying."_ _

__"So what now?" said Dean as he stood and began moving towards his brother. "I'm off the hook and you're on, is that it?"_ _

__"Dean, I didn't do it." An angry look began to form on the elder Winchester's face. "I wanted to, but I didn't. Alex stopped me."_ _

__Dean came up short at his words. "What?"_ _

__Sam relayed the story of the night Alex had followed him to the crossroads on her motorcycle and begged him to come home with her. He hung his head in shame as he talked about his drunkenness and the behavior it had caused._ _

__"Then it must be Alex," Dean said._ _

__"What?!" she exclaimed._ _

__"What other explanation is there?"_ _

__"Hell I don't know Dean. Sure I've gotten more powerful recently, but I'm not that powerful. Besides, if I ever tried to pull a stunt like that you'd crawl out of your grave just to kick my ass for thinking about it."_ _

__A half smile formed on Dean's face. "Damn right I would." Alex returned the grin._ _

__"Don't get me wrong," interjected Bobby. "I'm gladdened that Sam's soul remains intact and Alex isn't doing black magic, but it does raise a sticky question."_ _

__Dean finished the thought for him. "If you all didn't pull me out, then what did?"_ _

__"I don't know," said Alex. "We were just tracking the demon energy in the area. We've been trying to find Lilith to get a little payback. We've come close a time or too, but we haven't been able to catch her."_ _

__"You think these demons are here 'cause of you?" Bobby asked._ _

__Nobody could answer that question._ _

__"How are you feelin' anyway?"_ _

__"I'm a little hungry."_ _

__"No," said Bobby, "I mean do you feel like yourself? Anything strange, or different?"_ _

__"Or demonic? Bobby how many times do I have to prove I'm me?"_ _

__"There's nothing demonic about him Bobby," Alex said. "I would have seen it when I answered the door."_ _

__"Excuse me?" Dean asked._ _

__"There is this dark shadow around people when they are possessed. I don't see it all the time, but if I lock eyes with somebody I can always tell. Dean and I locked eyes when I first answered the door. If he had been anything other than the real Dean I would have known."_ _

__Dean began to sit again but stopped at the feel of something under his hand. Reaching down, he pulled out the red lace bra Alex had been wearing earlier that evening. She quickly turned the same shade of scarlet as the undergarment and snatched it from his hand as he raised his eyebrows at both her and Sam._ _

__"Yeah, well listen," said Bobby, clearly unsettle by the appearance of his "daughter's" brazier. "No demon's letting you lose out of the goodness of their hearts. They've gotta have something nasty planned."_ _

__"Well I feel fine," said Dean._ _

__"In the meantime," said Alex as she placed the bra in the draw before shutting it. "I think we should have a psychic take a look. Pam doesn't live all that far from here."_ _

__"I'll go call her," said Bobby as he rose from his seat to go into the hall to phone their psychic friend._ _

__Dean stood and made as if to follow him before the sound of his brother's voice stopped him. He turned to find Sam pulling a cord from around his neck. When he extended the cord to him he could see his amulet hanging from the worn leather cord. He thanked his brother with a smile before placing the familiar necklace around his neck once again._ _

__"Hey Dean," Sam began, "what was it like?"_ _

__"What, Hell?" Sam nodded "I don't know. I, I must have blacked it out. I don't remember a damn thing."_ _

__"Well thank God for that."_ _

__Alex had watched the whole exchange from across the room. Dean was hiding something. Even if she had not been a witch she would have known that. She could hear it in the slight shutter in his voice when he spoke of Hell. Alex studied him for a moment. He turned and looked at her. In that instant she got a flash of fire and flame so bright she squinted slightly before Dean broke eye contact and moved towards the bathroom. She wasn't sure what all Dean remembered, but she would bet her life that he remembered something._ _

__******_ _

__Dean released a heavy sigh as he leaned against the bathroom sink. Shoulders slumping, he looked at himself in the mirror. He could still feel the pieces of flesh being cut from his body. The sound of a whip cracking still rang in his ears. He shut his eyes against the memory of the pain, the torture, and what he was willing to do to make it stop._ _

__He hung his head in shame. Releasing a slow deep breath he brought his eyes back up, but instead of focusing on himself in the mirror he saw Alex standing in the doorway studying him._ _

__"Hey," he said. "I'll be out in a minute."_ _

__"I know Dean," Alex said in a matter-of-fact tone._ _

__"Know what?"_ _

__"You lied Dean. I know that you remember Hell." Dean swallowed the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat. "I won't say anything to Sam, but you should."_ _

__******_ _

__The squad of hunters exited the motel and began heading towards their cars. Bobby had tried to convince Alex to ride with him, but she had insisted on riding in the back of the Impala with the boys, claiming that she wanted to lay down. There was no doubt in her mind that Pam would want her help with everything when they arrived, so saving her strength was important._ _

__Sam tossed the keys to his older brother, who appeared overjoyed to see his car again. Running his hand along the body of the vehicle lovingly he greeted her like a long lost friend. The smile quickly faded from his face however when he sat down in the driver's seat and saw the small electronic device resting attached to his baby._ _

__"What the hell is that?" he asked._ _

__Sam looked at the device as he entered the car behind Alex._ _

__"That's an iPod jack."_ _

__"You were supposed to take care of her, not douche her up."_ _

__"Dean, I thought it was my car."_ _

__Alex could not help but chuckle softly as the sight of Dean's sneer. He would never give up his old cassette tapes. _Maybe this Christmas I'll get him a CD player and try to bring him into the 21st century. _The thought brought another smile to her face.___ _

____Dean started the ignition and had to suppress a shudder as the music from the iPod filled the car._ _ _ _

_____I don't care_ _ _ _ _

_____Who you are_ _ _ _ _

_____Where you're from_ _ _ _ _

_____What you did_ _ _ _ _

_____As long as you love me. ____ _ _ _

______"Really?" Dean asked in exasperation as he looked at his younger brother._ _ _ _ _ _

______"That's mine," Alex said from the back seat as she reached for the jack that Dean had just ripped from the console._ _ _ _ _ _

______"How the Hell can you listen to that crap?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Remember your rule, Dean? 'Driver picks the music, and shotgun shuts his pie hole.' Well I was driving, and I was in the mood for a little Backstreet Boys. So quit whining zombie boy, and let's get this show on the road."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Sam busted out laughing at the look on his brother's face. Every protest running in Dean's head died on his lips before he shifted the car into gear and took off. Alex quickly laid down in the back after producing a set of ear buds from her pocket for the iPod. The trio drove in silence for half an hour before Dean spoke again._ _ _ _ _ _

______"There's still one thing that's bothering me."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Yeah?" asked Sam._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Yeah, the night that I bit it. Or… got bit." Dean laughed a little at his joke. "How'd you make it out? I thought Lilith was going to kill you. I know there's some rule saying they can't hurt Alex, but why didn't she go after you?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Well, she tried. Alex stopped her."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Dean glanced into the rearview mirror to make sure she was still sleeping.. "What do you mean, Alex stopped her."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Sam paused for a moment as he searched for the words to describe what had happened. He calmly told his brother about the shield she had thrown in front of him and how it had protected him from the weapon made of light Lilith had shot at him._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I don't know who was more surprised, her or us. Alex still can't figure out how she did it. Lilith left pretty fast after that."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Huh. Doesn't it scare you that she can do stuff like that? Alex I mean. How is it possible that she can do all of these things to demons, but they can't touch her?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"I don't know. We keep looking for answers, but the only thing we can come up with is that it has to do with her family."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Dean glanced at him sideways. "What about you? You been using your, uh, freaky ESP stuff?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"No," Sam said, a tone of finality in his voice._ _ _ _ _ _

______"You sure about that? Well, I mean, now that Alex seems to be getting more powerful for whatever reason I… I was just wondering what other kinds of crap you two have got going on."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Nothing, Dean. Look, you didn't want me to go down that road, so I didn't go down that road. It was practically your dying wish."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Yeah, well, I seem to remember there being a second part to that." He inclined his head towards the back seat._ _ _ _ _ _

______Sam just turned and watched Alex as she slept. She looked so peaceful._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I'm working on it," he said._ _ _ _ _ _

______******_ _ _ _ _ _

______Alex groaned slightly as she crawled out of the back seat. The Impala may have had more room that Bobby's car, but it still didn't make it easy for a girl to sleep. She stretched her sore muscles for a moment before she smiled at the sight of the house before her. The hunters weren't even up the steps before Pam had the door open and was embracing Alex._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Alex," Pam said happily. "Long time no see."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Yeah, too long."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"I have to say, I was a little surprised when Bobby called me. Why didn't you just handle it yourself?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"This is more your territory than mine. I figured I'd be more helpful as a power source for you to draw from."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"That's true," said Pam with a smile. She turned her eyes to the older man standing on her porch. "Bobby!" They shared a bear hug that rivaled the one she had given Alex. Pam didn't even look at the other two individuals present until she had pulled away. "So, these the boys?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Sam. Dean," said Bobby in way of introduction. "This is Pamela Barnes, best damn psychic in the state."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Dean flashed her his best lady killer smile as he greeted her, causing Alex to roll her eyes. Sam just gave an awkward hello._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Mmmmm. Dean Winchester," said Pam. "Out of the fire and back in the frying pan huh? Makes you a rare individual."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"If you say so."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Pam turned her attention to Sam. "So this tall drink of water is Sam, huh?" she asked before turning to Alex who merely nodded. "Well, I can see why you like him so much." Alex and Sam both began to blush. Pam gave a hearty chuckle. "Come on in."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Everyone followed Pam to a dark room at the back on the house as she told them all about what the spirits had told her. Nothing. She had Ouija'd over and over again, but there was nothing. Nobody seemed to know who had brought Dean back. At least nobody was talking anyway. As they entered the séance room, Pam asked Alex if she still remembered where she kept everything before asking her to help gather the materials. The two women moved quickly around the room, grabbing various essential items as they went._ _ _ _ _ _

______Pam squatted down to pull something out of a cabinet. The action caused her shirt to ride up and her pants to sag just enough to show the scrawled tattoo on her lower back. Dean cocked his head to the side as he stared at the writing, "Jesse Forever"._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Who's Jesse?" he asked._ _ _ _ _ _

______Another chuckle escaped Pam's lips. "Well, it wasn't forever," came her reply._ _ _ _ _ _

______"His loss."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Pamela stood, holding several pillar candles in her hands, and walked towards Dean. She stopped a hair's breadth way from him and smirked. "Might be your gain," she teased before walking between the two brothers._ _ _ _ _ _

______Dean could barely contain a groan as he watched her walk away. "Dude I am so in," he said in a whisper as he and Sam turned their backs to the rest of the group, giving them the illusion of privacy._ _ _ _ _ _

______A small smile appeared no Sam's face. "Yeah, she's gunna eat you alive."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Hey, I just got out of jail. Bring it."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Pam and Alex could hear the entire conversation as they place the alter cloth on the table. Pam grinned at her friend like the cat that ate the canary while Alex just rolled her eyes, a small smile dancing at the corner of her mouth. The older woman turned to collect another item, but she made sure that she passed by the boys. They looked up at her guiltily, not sure if she had heard them. With a little wink, a smile, and a few words she had Sam blushing crimson._ _ _ _ _ _

______"You're invited too, grumpy."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Alex shook her head as she went to Sam's rescue._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Sorry Pam, I don't share," she said as she placed a protective arm around Sam's waste. He relaxed ever so slightly as he wrapped his own arm around her shoulders._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Aww," said Pam. "Too bad. It was pretty fun from what I remember." The devilish smile on her faced cause both Sam and Dean's eyebrow to race skyward._ _ _ _ _ _

______Alex looked up slowly. The look on Sam's face was pure shock, but Dean looked both surprised and intrigued all at the same time. A shrug was her only response to their silent questions before returning to her work._ _ _ _ _ _

______The few remaining items were placed on the table and Pam invited everyone to come take a seat. They took their places around the table and sat down._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Right," said Pam. "Take each other's hands." Everyone joined hands. "And I need to touch something our mystery monster touched."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Dean sighed before releasing his brother's hand to roll up his sleeve, revealing an angry red welt in the shape of a handprint. Sam and Alex look at each other in shock. The sight of the angry red mark set both of their minds to racing as Pamela rested her hand on the mark._ _ _ _ _ _

______Everyone joined hands, both Pam and Alex closing their eyes. Alex relaxed all of her muscles and allowed her friend to draw strength and power from her. The tingle of energy began to flow through her body and into Pam's by their joined hands as she began chanting, "I invoke, conjure, and command you, appear unto me before this circle," over and over again._ _ _ _ _ _

______The television in the corner began to click on and off to only static. Pam stilled._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Castiel? No. Sorry, Castiel. I don't scare that easy."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Castiel?" asked Dean._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Its name. It's whispering to me, warning me to turn back."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Alex heard the same voice through their sharing of power. The voice was not menacing in the slightest. It actually sounded worried, as if it was full of concern for the one summoning it. Alex opened her eyes._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Pam, listen to it. You need to turn back."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"I almost got it," said Pam as she continued. The candle flames suddenly rose towards the sky as she spoke the verse one final time. Her ear splitting scream startled them all, her eyes flying open revealing white-hot flame before she collapsed._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Pamela!" Alex screamed as she dropped to her friend's side, Bobby joining her._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Call 911!" he ordered the boys._ _ _ _ _ _

______Sam scrambled from the table and fumbled for his phone. Dean moved to crouch next to the trio on the floor. Pam was still conscious, but her eyes were bleeding and appeared to be burned. Her eyelids flew open to reveal black, empty sockets as she sobbed._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I can't see! I can't see! Oh god!"_ _ _ _ _ _

______A hand flew to Alex's mouth as she stifled a gasp. She lifted her own watery eyes to Sam's as he spoke to the ambulance on the phone._ _ _ _ _ _

______"It'll be okay Pam. I promise," she said as she placed a hand on forehead and eased her suffering._ _ _ _ _ _

______******_ _ _ _ _ _

______Alex drug herself into the diner behind the boys. She had wanted to stay with Bobby and Pam, but her friend had shushed her and sent her away, not taking too kindly to being manipulated by magic. She knew it was only to comfort her, but Pam was still hurt by the fact that someone she once mentored could now teach her and sense danger she could not. Her pride was hurting, and she wanted to allow it time to heal before she spoke to Alex again._ _ _ _ _ _

______Finding a table, the boys sat down. Alex asked Sam to order her a burger before excusing herself to the restroom._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Alex is taking this pretty hard," Dean said as she disappeared behind the door._ _ _ _ _ _

______"She blames herself," said Sam. "She thinks none of this would have happened if she hadn't let Pam use her powers. She should have forced her to pull back." There was a pause. "At least Pam's stable and out of I.C.U."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"And blind because of us." Sam sighed._ _ _ _ _ _

______"And we still have no clue who we're dealing with."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"That's not entirely true."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"No?" Sam asked._ _ _ _ _ _

______"We got a name. Castiel... or whatever. With the right mumbo-jumbo Alex could summon him, bring him right to us."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"No way." Sam started shaking his head. "You saw what happened to Pam. There's no way in hell I am letting the same thing happen to Alex."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"You got a better idea?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Yeah as a matter of fact I do. I followed some demons to town, right? Someone's gotta know something."_ _ _ _ _ _

______The waitress had returned with their food, but instead of turning and leaving she pulled out a chair and sat herself at their table. Dean looked up from his pie._ _ _ _ _ _

______"You angling for a tip?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"I'm sorry," the waitress replied. "Thought you were looking for us." Her eyes turned to the solid black of a demon's. The boys looked around quickly to see that everyone else in the diner's eyes had done the same. They were surrounded by demons. "Dean," she said. "To hell and back. Aren't you a lucky duck."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"That's me."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"So you get to just stroll out of the pit, huh? What makes you so special?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"I'd like to think it's because of my perky nipples. I don't know. Wasn't my doing, I don't know who pulled me out."_ _ _ _ _ _

______The demon was unimpressed by his witty retort. "Mind your tone with me boy. I'll drag you back to hell myself."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"You'll have to go through me first," a voice behind the demon said. Startled, the demon turned to see a woman with auburn hair standing behind her. The chair clattered to the floor in her hast to stand._ _ _ _ _ _

______Alex looked coolly down at the demon. "And I know you won't do that." The demon inclined her head to Alex in respect before stepping aside and allowing Alex to take her seat. The rest of the horde went back to their work and allowed the hunters to eat in peace._ _ _ _ _ _

______******_ _ _ _ _ _

______Dark had long since fallen. Bobby was still waiting at the hospital with Pam while the others researched whatever they could about this "Castiel" that had raised Dean from Hell. There was little to no information available to the hunters. Dean and Alex had fallen asleep where they sat._ _ _ _ _ _

______Sam stood in the doorway, glancing back and his brother and his love. Shoulders slumping, he hung his head for only a moment before turning and going through the door. His feet made no sound as he walked out to the Impala with a heavy heart. There was no doubt in his mind that this was what he needed to do, but for some reason, there was a rock in the pit of his stomach that gave him pause whenever he thought about the people resting upstairs that he was betraying._ _ _ _ _ _

______The sound of a heavy car door shutting woke Alex from her slumber. "Sam?" she mumbled sleepily as her eyes began to flutter open. She sat up and ran a hand through her hair as she blinked the sleep from her tired eyes. "Sam?" She asked again as she rose from her stop on the bed. Dean still sat on the pulled out sofa. A quick look through the motel room told her what she feared was true. Sam was gone._ _ _ _ _ _

______Alex did not even pause to put on shoes before running from the room and down the hallway after the missing man. Fear began to grip at her heart. True, this was not the first time Sam had gone off in the middle of the night, but that had been to help get his mind off of his brother. Dean had returned. There was no reason for him to leave now._ _ _ _ _ _

______The spot the Impala had been parked in was now empty. Panic began to fill her as she watched Bobby's car come to a slow rolling stop in front of her._ _ _ _ _ _

______******_ _ _ _ _ _

______The TV began to flicker to the familiar sound of static and the radio suddenly burst to life. Dean startled awake and began to look around him. Both Sam and Alex were gone. A noise like a train began to sound in his ears. He covered his ears as the roar climbed to a deafening level. The mirror above the bed shattered, raining shards of broken glass down on him as he curled into a ball on the floor._ _ _ _ _ _

______He watched as the door flew open, revealing Bobby and Alex's concerned faces. He could see them screaming his name, but no sound reached his ears, only the chaotic racket could be heard._ _ _ _ _ _

______*****_ _ _ _ _ _

______Alex watched from the back of Bobby's car as Dean whipped the blood from his face as they drove to the abandoned metal building. She called Sam the moment she had returned to her room and found her phone among the pieces of broken glass. When she asked where he had gone, his only response had been that he couldn't sleep and decided to get a burger. His voice had wavered slightly, letting her know that he was lying. She had shut her eyes at his words and told him of Bobby's return. Her own lie about them going for drinks had flowed from her lips far too easily._ _ _ _ _ _

______******_ _ _ _ _ _

______Sam proceeded with caution as he entered the diner. No lights were on, but the door was wide open. He stood motionless taking it all in. Suddenly an unknown figure tackled him from behind. He traded blows with the unknown assailant for a moment before the moonlight revealed them to be the demon that had waited on him earlier that day, except that now her eyes had been burned away in the same manner Pamela's had been._ _ _ _ _ _

______"It was here," he said. "You saw it."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"I saw it," the demon confirmed with a sob._ _ _ _ _ _

______"What was it?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"It's the end. We're dead. We're all dead."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"What did you see?" insisted Sam._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Go to Hell."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Funny." Sam took a step back and planted his feet firmly on the ground. "I was going to say the same thing to you." He shut his eyes in concentration as he extended his hand toward the demon._ _ _ _ _ _

______She stared to heave as if she were about to ride her stomach of it's contents. Black smoke slowly billowed from her mouth. Frantically she tried to catch it with her hands, but it was no use. Soon she collapsed to the floor as the demonic smoke sank down through the floor and into the Pit below._ _ _ _ _ _

______Taking a steadying breath, Sam opened his eyes as he slowly lowered his outstretched hand. He crossed to the woman lying on the floor and began checking for a pulse. Disappointment filled him when he found none._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Damn it."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Getting pretty slick there Sam. Better all the time."_ _ _ _ _ _

______He looked up and watched as a beautiful dark haired woman walked before him. "What the hell is going on around here, Ruby?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"I wish I knew."_ _ _ _ _ _

______The theory that some extremely powerful demon had pulled Dean out had been wrong. Ruby assured him of that. There was no demon powerful enough to do what had been done. His heart sank._ _ _ _ _ _

______"So," she began, "Million dollar question, are you going to tell Dean and Alex about what we're doing?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Yeah," he nodded his head gently, "I just gotta figure out the right way to say it." Ruby studied him critically. "Look, I just need time, okay? That's all."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Sam, he's going to find out. Alex already knows that something is up." His eyes shot towards hers. "She's not stupid Sam. She knows you're up to something. They are going to find out, and if it's not from you… they are going to be pissed."_ _ _ _ _ _

______He looked at her in silence as the truth of her words began to sink in._ _ _ _ _ _

______******_ _ _ _ _ _

______Eyes wandered around the room, studying the vast collection of symbols covering every surface around them._ _ _ _ _ _

______"You sure you did the ritual right?" Dean asked._ _ _ _ _ _

______It had been nearly a full half hour since Alex and worked the spell to summon this "Castiel" to them, but there was still nothing. She shot Dean a hateful look at his doubting words._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Sorry. Touchy, touchy huh?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______As if on cue, a loud rattling sound reached their ears as the roof began to shake. The trio of hunters quickly armed themselves and prepared for the fight to come._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Wishful thinking," Dean said as they grouped together in the center of the room, "but maybe it's just the wind."_ _ _ _ _ _

______The doors suddenly burst open as a man strode through the doors. His trench coat billowed around him as he moved wordlessly towards them. The light bulbs overhead shattered as he passed below them. The hunters opened fire on the man, but he gave no reaction to them at all, as if they bounced off of the suit he wore._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Who are you?" Dean commanded._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I'm the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Yeah. Thanks for that."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Dean plunged the demon knife into the creature's chest to no effect. Bobby and Alex moved to attack, but a gentle touch of fingers to their heads caused them to collapse to the floor. Dean crouched beside them, checking that they were still breathing._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Your friends are alive," said the trench coated man._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Who are you?" Dean demanded._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Castiel."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Yeah, I figured that much." Anger rose in Dean as he stood before Castiel. "I mean what are you?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"I'm an Angel of the Lord."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Dean scoffed. "Get the hell out of here. There's no such thing."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Castiel looked at him, the same blank expression on his face as when he entered the room._ _ _ _ _ _

______"This is your problem, Dean. You have no faith."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Well I'm not buying what you're selling, so who are you really?_ _ _ _ _ _

______The supposed angel frowned. "I told you."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Right. And why would an angel rescue me from Hell?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Because God commanded it." Dean looked at him shocked. "Because we have work for you."_ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback most welcome.


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long delay. Life got a bit crazy. I'll try to keep updates coming a bit faster in the future.

Dozens of books sat scattered around the room. Half a dozen sat on the table next to Alex. She had been researching angels for hours, and all the boys were doing was arguing.

"Don't you think that if angels were real that some hunter somewhere would have seen one… at some point… ever?" Dean asked.

"Yeah," Sam replied. "You just did, Dean."

The endless prattle was starting to grate on Alex's nerves.

"I'm trying to come up with a theory here. Okay? Work with me."

"Dean, we have a theory."

"Yeah, one with a little less fairy dust on it, please."

Alex couldn't take any more. "Will you two knuckleheads shut up?" she said. "God you haven't stopped arguing for the last half hour. Now are you going to keep bitching at each other or are you going to come take a look at what we found."

Bobby grinned at his little girl as she stood to come over to his desk, followed closely by the boys. Few people could get those two to shut up, but Alex seemed to have a knack for saying just the right thing to get their attention.

"So," began Dean, "what do we got?"

"I got stacks of lore – Biblical, pre-Biblical. Some if it's in damn cuneiform. It all says an angel can snatch a soul from the pit."

"What else?"

Alex looked at him like he was insane. Bobby had just laid out the proof they needed to show that it really was an angel that had pulled Dean from the pit, and he was still standing there questioning the truth presented to him.

"What do you mean what else?" asked Alex

"What else could do it?"

"Nothing." Alex began to gesture to the piles of books scattered around the room. "We have been researching this for two hours and there is no other explanation. An angel pulled you out of Hell Dean.

Dean cocked his eyebrow as he studied Alex, skepticism still evident in his face.

"Okay. Say it's true. Say there are angles. Then what? There's a God?"

"At this point," said Bobby, "Vegas money's on yeah."

The older Winchester was still skeptical. Nothing good ever happened to him or his brother. At least not for free. There was always a catch. Now he was waiting for the other shoe to drop. The why was still unclear to him. When he started asking why, his brother was amazed, but to Dean it was a valid question. Sure he had saved people in his life, but he was no saint. He robbed people blind in bars and pool halls, and even he had to admit that he was a bit of a man whore at times.

"Fine," he said. "What do we know about angels?"

Alex leaned down and picked up one of the largest books Dean had ever seen. Hell, it wasn't a book. It was a doorstop. Placing it on top of an already massive pile of books, she smiled at him sweetly before speaking.

"Start reading."

Dean groaned a little as he looked at the pile. "I'm gunna need pie," he said before looking sheepishly at Alex.

"Sorry Dean," she said. "I don't have everything I need to make it."

He turned to his brother and made the most pathetic face he could. Sam and Alex both chuckled.

"Alright," Sam said between laughs. "If Alex makes me a list I'll go get the stuff for your pie."

Alex saw Dean's pout turn into one of his famous lady killer smiles. She shook her head at his antics before heading to the kitchen to make a list for Sam.

******

Dean had been reading the same page of text over and over again for the last half hour trying to force the words to make some kind of sense. The thought that an angel had pulled him out of Hell was ridiculous. Even if they did exist, he was just one man. One man that had done many things that he was not proud of. No deity would condone what he did to save his own skin in Hell. Truth be told, he could barely look at himself in the mirror. Every time he did, all he saw was a broken retched creator that had tortured innocent souls to lessen his own suffering.

Bobby entered the room, a sullen expression on his face.

"Dad," Alex said, "what's wrong?"

"Pack your bags," he said. "I got a friend one state over, Olivia Lowry. I've been trying to reach her for three days on this angel thing. It's not like her to ignore this many calls."

The two younger hunters didn't say a word. They just stood and quickly walked to their respective rooms to collect their belongings.

When Sam arrived with the groceries 10 minutes later, he was surprised to see everyone walking out of the house carrying duffel bags over their shoulders.

"Keep the engine running," Bobby told him as he stepped out of the Impala with the paper bag full of food items.

"Why? What's going on?"

He quickly filled Sam in on his attempts to contact their fellow hunter before telling him to take the bag inside.

Alex gave Dean a little smile as Sam passed.

"Looks like your pie will just have to wait."

******

Olivia had already been dead when they arrived. The image of her blood covering the floor and the line of salt in the doorway wouldn't leave Alex's mind. There had definitely been some spirit activity, but there wasn't a single spirit that any of them could think of that could do the kind of damage this one had. All of the other hunter's they had contacted in the area had met a similar fate.

They pulled into an old beat up truck stop for food and fuel. "I'll be right back," Alex said as she excused herself to the restroom.

Taking deep powerful cleansing breaths, Alex closed her eyes and tried to force the image of the helpless woman lying in a pool of her own blood and the stale metallic smell that surrounded her out of her mind. Alex let out a deep shuddering breath that turned to visible mist in front of her as she felt the temperature in the room plummet. Opening her eyes, she saw the edges of the mirror start to frost and behind her stood someone she never thought she'd see again.

The slight dark haired woman smiled gently at her. "Hi Alex," said Nancy. "It's been a while."

Alex flashed back to the last time she had seen the young woman. She had been ready to turn herself into a human sacrifice, but Alex had refused.

"Nancy," she began. "Are you, did you..?"

"I didn't survive… if that's what you're asking."

"I'm sorry."

"I know you are."

"I swear we had no idea Lilith was coming. If I had known I…"

"You wouldn't have left half a dozen innocent people in that police station to die in your place. You did this to me. It was your fault. She was after you, and I paid the price. You left us there to die."

Nancy lunged forward and grabbed Alex by the shoulders, slamming her head down into the sink. Her vision swam before her as the young secretary slowly descended on her. As her vision begins to fade, she notices a small brand on Nancy's forearm.

Gun fire echoed off the walls as Sam and Dean burst into the room and opened fire on the spirit with salt rounds. Nancy dispelled with a shriek.

"Alex!" Sam yelled as he raced to her side. Gently taking her head, he examined the wound at her temple. "Alex, can you hear me?" Slowly, she began to blink her eyes open.

"Sam?"

"Oh thank God," he said as he pulled her to his chest.

"Bobby," she said, here eyes suddenly wide with panic. "We have to get to Bobby."

******

The drive back to Bobby's house was made in record time. The trio jumped from the car the second it stopped moving. Alex was the first through the door.

"Dad!" she yelled as she ran through the halls. "Dad!"

"Bobby," the boys followed behind.

"He's not here," she said frantically.

"Let's split up," suggested Dean. "You guys go look outside. I'll check the rest of the house."

They had been searching for what felt like hours, but in all actuality had only been a few minutes. Sam followed Alex through the junk yard, both of them screaming Bobby's name. Panic was beginning to rise in Alex's chest. If they didn't find Bobby soon it would all be over. She knew it. There was no way he would live for much longer if they did not find him.

Bobby lay on his back in the old car, fear coursing through his veins as the two young girls holding him began to descend upon him. Suddenly, he heard a voice, Alex's voice, calling his name in the distance. He opened his mouth to call out a response, but it was cut off by one of young girls placing their hand over his mouth.

Sam stopped running for a moment and leaned on his knees, gasping for breath. Alex kept calling Bobby's name, her voice now raw and raspy from overuse. He watched her turn her tear blurred eyes at him. Hope was quickly fading from her eyes until her breath came out in an icy puff.

Their eyes grew wide. "Bobby!" "Dad!" they called in unison. Sam starts prying open trunks. Alex looked up and noticed a reflection in a small mirror.

"Dad!"

She began sprinting up the side of the tower of cars. Sam close on her heels. She pulled as hard a she could but the metal would not budge.

"I can't get it open she cried."

Sam looked around and quickly found something to use as a lever. Leaning on it, he used his entire weight on the metal rod until suddenly the trunk sprang free.

Bobby had never been so happy to see Sam and Alex in his life as he was the moment they had opened the trunk. Now he stood in his living room with the three people in the world he cared most about in this world, talking about the symbol they had seen on the spirits arms. Bobby pointed out a few extra volumes on the shelves and instructed the others to grab them and follow him.

******

Dean's eyebrows shot up as he laid eyes on the heavy metal door in front of him. The group of hunter's slowly walked into the large circular room. As they all looked around, they began to notice the various items in the room. Ammo, food, weapons.

"Bobby," began Sam, "is this…"

"Solid iron. Completely coated in salt. 100% ghost-proof."

"You build a panic room?"

"I had a weekend off."

"Dad," said Alex.

"Yeah?"

"You are awesome," she said as she encircled the grizzled old hunter in a hug.

It had been nearly two hours since they had moved downstairs, and Alex told them about the symbol she had seen on Nancy's arm and resigned herself to figuring out what the symbol was while the boys made ammo.

"See," Dean spoke up, "this is why I can't get behind God."

Without even looking up from her work Alex asked him what he meant.

"If he doesn't exist, fine. Bad crap happens to good people. That's how it is. There's no rhyme or reason … just random, horrible, evil… I get it, okay. I can roll with that. But if he is out there, what's wrong with him? Where the hell is he while all these decent people are getting torn to shreds? How does he live with himself? You know, why doesn't he help?

"I'm not touching that one with a 10-foot pole," replied Bobby.

Sam sat in silent contemplation as he thought about what his brother had said. As much as he hated to admit it, Dean had a point. Why would God allow such terrible things to happen to innocent people?

"Found it!" Alex exclaimed.

"What?"

"The symbol I saw… the brand on the ghost…"

"Yeah?"

It was the Mark of the Witness. Everyone that had appeared to them had an unnatural death. From what Alex could glean, they were forced to rise. "There was some serious spell involved here guys."

"Who could pull that off?" Dean asked.

Alex looked at Dean with a raised eyebrow. "What in the world makes you think I would know that Dean? I'm a witch, not a psychic. "Sam chuckled. "Whoever did this had big plans. It's called 'the rising of the witnesses.' It's a part of this ancient prophecy."

Dean interrupted her. "Wait, wait. What… what book is that prophecy from?"

Bobby knew exactly what Alex was talking about the moment she told them what the symbol was. You couldn't spend as much time stuck neck deep in every kind of lore imaginable and not learn a thing or two. "Well," he began, "the widely distributed version's just for tourists, you know. But long story short… Revelations. This is a sign, boys."

"A sign of what?" Sam asked, brow knit in confusion. The touch of Alex's hand on his forced him to look down at her. The look of concern on her face told him that it was an answer he really didn't want to hear.

"Sam… it's a sign of the apocalypse."

"Apocalypse?" Dean asked in shock. "The apocalypse, apocalypse? The four horsemen, pestilence, $5-a-gallon-gas apocalypse?"

The somber expression was still on Alex's face. "Yeah. That's it."

"Okay, so what do we do now?" Sam asked.

"The first thing we need to do is take care of our company upstairs." She turned back to her volume. "There's a spell here that should work. I can do it, but I'm going to need you guy's help."

Alex put down her pencil. "Okay I've got it." She handed the list to Bobby. "This is everything we need."

The old hunter quickly looked over the paper she had handed him. "I think I got everything we need here at the house."

"Any chance you got everything we need here in this room?" Dean asked.

Bobby scoffed. "So, you thought our luck was gunna start now all of the sudden?"

"Besides," Alex cut in. "the spell has to be cast over an open fire."

"The fireplace in the library," Sam added.

"Bingo."

They quickly gathered their weapons and slowly opened the panic room door. Everything was dead silent. Dean led the party up the stairs without incident. A feeling of unease fell upon the group as they entered the library. This was far too easy.

Sam quickly started to form a salt circle around them while Dean started a fire, and Alex prepped the area.

"Alright," Bobby said. "Sam upstairs, linen closet, red hex box. It'll be heavy."

"Got it." Alex grabbed his arm to stop him as he turned to go. She pulled him down for a quick kiss, telling him to be careful. He nodded his promise and quickly made his way towards the stairs.

As soon as he disappeared, two small girls appeared in the living room.

"Bobby," one of them said.

Dean fired a salt round into her chest before she could say another word Bobby nodded his thanks before speaking. "Kitchen. Cutlery drawer. It's got a false bottom. Hemlock, opium, wormwood."

"Opium?" Dean asked.

"Go!" the hunter ordered. "I'll cover Alex."

Bobby readied his weapon and slowly backed towards the desk that Alex was drawing on with chalk. The little girls appeared again. They started taunting Bobby, blaming them for their death. His insides began to tremble as their words rang true. He closed his eyes momentarily before firing on them both.

"You okay Dad?" Alex asked, pausing her work and looking up.

"I'm fine princess. Just keep going."

******

Sam searched the closet as quickly as he could. A small smile appeared on his face as he laid eyes on the red box.

"You know what really pisses me off, Sam?" Sam froze momentarily with his hands on the box before grabbing it and slowly turning around to find Meg standing in front of him. "You saw how I suffered for months. I thought you must have learned something. I thought I died for something."

"Meg."

"But what you're doing with that demon Ruby. How many innocent bodies has Ruby burned through for kicks? How many girls just like me? And you don't send her back to Hell? You're not going to be able to save Alex. You can't help her. You're just betraying her. You're a monster!"

Sam raised his rifle and pulled the trigger.

******

Dean raced through the kitchen trying to find the right draw. You'd think that will all of the time he had spent in this house over the years he would know where things were, but he'd never really done much in the kitchen. Bobby and Alex always did the cooking. The most he could do were scrambled eggs, and even those were sub-par.

The doors to the kitchen suddenly slammed shut causing him to jump.

"Dean?" he heard Bobby and Alex call from the other room."

"I'm all right," he replied. "Keep working!"

A young woman suddenly appeared in front of him.

"Nancy."

"Dean."

"I know," he tried to sound reassuring.

"No. you don't"

"It's my fault you're dead. I left you behind. And the minute I heard about that explosion, I thought, 'I should have known,' I should have protected you." He tried to keep her distracted as he reached for the gun behind him, but it went flying across the room.

"Unh-unh," Nancy said. "Not so fast. You think you left and Lilith came and we all died in a beautiful blast of white light? No. She said she wanted to have a little fun firs. She flayed the skin from my bones Dean. You remember what that feels right?" She suddenly raced forward and reached into Dean's chest, gripping his heart tight. "Tell me how it's fair Dean. You run around drinking and having sex and you still get saved from Hell. I go to church every Sunday, read my Bible, and stay a virgin. Look at what happened to me. Why do you deserve another chance, Dean?"

Sam burst through the door and shot Nancy before she could finish Dean off. The second she had dissipated, Sam rushed to his brother to make sure he was okay. "You all right?" he asked.

"No."

"Let's go."

Sam pulled Dean into the library. They dumped the ingredients for the spell in front of Alex. She quickly started to chant in Latin as she combined the various items as the boys joined Bobby in guarding her. The windows suddenly blew open. Wind swept the room and took the salt line with it. The ghosts of their past started surrounding them. The three hunters started firing at them in rapid succession as Alex raced to complete the spell. Henriksen suddenly appeared and knocked Dean's gun from his hand as he fought to reload it. Dean grabbed another gun nearby and prepared to fire. He pulled the trigger and nothing happened. The gun was empty. Thinking fast, he grabbed an iron rod and swung it at Henriksen's head.

Meg materialized and shoved Sam up against the wall. With a wave of her hand she caused a desk in the room to slide across the floor and trap him. He tried with all of his might to push the desk away, but it was to no avail. He was trapped.

Alex heard his groan of pain when the desk hit him and looked up from what she was doing. "Sam!"

"Keep going," he grunted. "Bobby cover her."

The ghost were appearing more rapidly and slowly closing in on the group. Alex fought frantically to complete the spell. She breathed a small sigh of relief when she finished the incantation. The only thing left to do was throw it into the fire. She quickly spun and found herself face to face with Nancy once again.

"Times up," said Nancy. She reached her hand forward and into Alex's chest at lightening speed.

Sam watched on in horror. "Alex!"

The bowl containing the physical spell fell from her hands. Dean dove forward and caught it before it could hit the ground. The elder Winchester looked to Alex as she slowly sank to her knees. "Dean," she gasped, "fireplace." He rose to his knees and threw the bowl into the fire. Blue flames lept from the hearth as the ghosts all vanished.

Alex collapsed to the floor, breathing heavily. Sam freed himself from the desk and raced to her side. "Alex?"

"I'm okay," she responded weakly.

******

After a dinner of pizza and beer, the group of hunters settled in for the night. Sam and Alex held each other tight in their room upstairs while Bobby slept down the hall. Dean sat up in the living room watching television. Slowly his eyes began to drift shut. "Excellent job with the witnesses." Dean shot up in his chair and looked around the room quickly. His eyes came to rest on the angel Castiel standing on the other side of the room.

"You were hip to all this?"

"I was, uh, made aware."

"Well, thanks a lot for the angelic assistance. You know, I almost got my heart ripped out of my chest."

"But you didn't."

Dean rose from his chair and began walking towards the angel. "I thought angels were supposed to be guardians. Fluffy wings, halos… you know, Michael Landon. Not dicks."

"Read the Bible. Angels are warriors of God. I'm a soldier."

"Yeah? Then why didn't you fight?"

"I'm not here to perch on your shoulder. We had larger concerns."

"Oh yeah. Like what? There were people getting torn to shreds down here!"

"We were concerned about the Mayfair."

Dean paused in confusion. "The Mayfair? What the Hell are you talking about? How does Alex fit into any of this?"

"The rising of the witnesses is one of the 66 seals."

"Okay. I'm guessing that's not a show at SeaWorld."

"Those seals are being broken by Lilith. She's trying to free Lucifer from his cage."

"Lucifer? But I thought Lucifer was just a story they told at demon Sunday school. There's no such thing."

"Three days ago you thought there was no such thing as me. Why do you think we're here walking among you now for the first time in 2,000 years?"

"To stop Lucifer."

"That's why we've arrived," Castiel confirmed with a nod.

"Well… bang-up job so far. Stellar work with the witnesses. That's nice."

"We tried. And there are other battles, other seals. Some we'll win. Some we'll lose. The one that we cannot lose is the Mayfair."

"Why do you keep calling Alex that? You still haven't told me how she fits into all of this."

"The Mayfair is the one that will raise Lucifer."

Dean's eyebrows rose. "That's not possible," he said. "Alex doesn't have that kind of power. Even if she did there's no way she would ever do that."

"It's her birthright Dean. The Mayfair is more than just a name it's a mantel. During what you call the dark ages a witch reached out and begged for the power to enact vengeance on those who had hurt her and allowed her child to die. Lucifer answered her call." Dean's face went white. "He offered her the power she wanted in exchange for agreeing to be his bride and free him from Hell. She was killed before this could happen. Because the bargain was not fulfilled, her power has been passed along the line of first born ever since. Every female born in this line has the choice to accept this birthright and take their place at Lucifer's side. Alexandra is the last in this line. It is her destiny to raise Lucifer. If your brother continues on this path, she will accept. You have to find a way to stop them Dean."

Castiel suddenly vanished, leaving Dean alone in the room.

******

He was vaguely aware of a gentle hand on his shoulder shaking him awake. "Dean. Dean, wake up." His eyes flew open. Quickly glancing around his eyes fell on Alex's gentle face smiling down at him. The words of the angel rang in his head and he jumped back.

Alex slowly rose. "Dean, what's wrong?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave feedback so I know you want me to keep going. Thank you.


	29. Chapter 29

Revelations are always interesting to hear. Sometimes they are wonderful self-discoveries that turn a life around. Other times they are terrifying secrets coming to light for the first time. The second was what Alex experience the moment Dean told her about his visit from Castiel.

Alex sat frozen at the kitchen table while everyone looked at her. The words slowly started to sink in as she shook her head. "No. No it's not possible." She felt a comforting hand on her shoulder and turned to see Sam giving her a sympathetic look. He of all people would understand what she was going through at that moment. He had to deal with the fact that he had demon blood in him. If that could happen, why couldn't she be destined to become the bride of Satan?

"That angel friend of yours needs to check his sources," she said vehemently, "because there is no way in Hell I would ever raise Lucifer. You guys know that right?"

"Of course we do," Sam replied as he pulled her into his side.

"He said it would happen if Sam didn't change," Dean said. "There something you want to tell us Sammy?"

There was a small amount of panic in Sam's gut before he quickly pushed it away. He did his best to look shocked as he assured them that there was nothing going on, but it didn't work. Dean had seen the look of fear that surfaced in his brother's eyes before it was pushed back down.

The changes in Sam's lie were not lost on her either. She heard the slight change in his voice as he spoke. She had suspected that he was keeping something from her for a while now. The late night disappearances could no longer be explained by him missing his brother, but they were still happening. 'That's it,' she thought. 'The next time Sam sneaks out, I'm going to follow him.'

******

Sam laid silently in bed listening to Alex breathing next to him. Her breathing had evened out long ago, but he waited silently for another hour to make sure she was asleep. Careful not to wake her, he slowly pulled his arm from around her and slide from the bed. He worked quickly to pull on his pants and made his way to the door. Pausing briefly, he turned back to look at Alex as she lay with her back to him. A sad smile formed on his faced as he watched her sleep for a moment before leaving the room.

******

Evening out her breathing was the easy part. Completely relaxing her body without falling asleep was what made it difficult. She had almost given up when she felt Sam's arm move from around her body. Her eyes opened when his weight left the bed. Staying perfectly still, she listened silently as Sam moved through the room. She heard him pause by the door and prayed that she was wrong and he was coming back to bed, but she was not that lucky. His footsteps started to move away from her again. Alex waited to move until she knew he was downstairs.

By the time she heard Sam shut the front door she had already woken Dean and the two of them followed Sam to an old abandoned warehouse. Careful to stay in the shadows, Dean and Alex watched as Sam met up with a petite brunette woman.

Dean instantly thought the worst of his brother. That idiot already damn near ruined things with Alex like this before. 'What the Hell is he thinking?' His thoughts were cut short however by the sound of Alex's voice as she uttered a single word.

"Ruby."

"What?" Dean was shocked. There was no logical explanation for why his brother would be sneaking out at night to meet a demon.

The duo watched as Sam followed her through the warehouse to a man tied to a chair in the center of a devil's trap. They listened carefully as Sam asked the man Alex knew to be possessed about Lilith.

"Why is he still hunting Lilith?" she whispered to Dean.

"I don't know."

The tension in the room quickly rose as the demon refused to give Sam the information he wanted. Alex's eyes grew wide as the scene unfolded in front of her. Sam stood confidently beside Ruby, hand extended towards the demon. The demon grabbed his throat as if choking. Black smoke poured from his mouth. The realization of what he was doing hit her like a ton of bricks as she watched in shock as the smoke disappeared through the floor.

Anger began to bubble up inside her at the sight. He had sworn only hours ago that nothing was going on. He had looked both her and Dean in the eye and lied about it. Not only that. He had been lying to her for months. Every time he said he had just gone for a walk or to get a late night snack he had been meeting up with Ruby, and this is what they had been up to.

Dean wasn't faring much better. With everything demons had done to his family you would think that his little brother would have learned by now not to get tangled up with them, but apparently Sammy was drawn to the flame.

Alex could no longer stop herself as she took two steps forward and emerged from their hiding place. "Anything you want to tell me Sam?" The words was out of her mouth before she could stop them.

He quickly turned and saw his girlfriend standing in the corner of the room and his brother appearing behind her, both looking at him in a mixture of shock and anger. He swallowed in an attempt to remove the lump from his throat, but it didn't work.

Gaining back some small piece of his composer, Sam spoke. "Dean, Alex, hold on okay? Just let me…"

"Just let you what, Sam?" Alex cut him off. "Let you explain this? Let you explain to me why you have been sneaking off at night for months to meet up with Ruby so she can teach you to do what I just saw? And you," she said as she turned her attention to the demon. "I thought I told you to stay away from Sam."

Ruby shrugged.

Before Dean even knew what had happened, Alex had taken the demon killing knife from him and used it to charge Ruby. She had her up against the wall, knife poised to strike before anyone could react.

Sam saw her begin to deliver the killing blow and grabbed her hand.

"Don't."

He wrestled the knife from Alex's hand. Their eyes meet as she turned towards him, and the look that she gave him could have melted glass.

Ruby, seeing an opportunity, grabbed Alex and threw her into the spot that she herself had just vacated.

"Ruby! Stop it!"

She pulled back and bumped into Dean as he came forward to help get Alex to calm down before she accidentally summoned a thunder storm that would wipe them all off of the map.

"Well aren't you an obedient little bitch?" he quipped.

Ruby glared at him for a moment before looking to Sam. He indicated the previously possessed man. "Go" is the only thing he said. Taking a quick look at Alex to make sure she would not be attacked. She placed the man's arm over her shoulder and proceeded to take him towards the exit.

"Not so fast," Alex protested. "Where the hell do you think you're going?"

"The ER… unless you want to go another round first."

If she was being honest, there was nothing more she wanted than to beat the shit out of the smug little bitch. The fight wouldn't really have been fair though. Ruby wasn't allowed to hurt Alex, and they both knew it. So she just watched her leave before turning her unyielding gaze to Sam.

"Alex," he started but stopped when she soundlessly walked past him and headed for the door. He looked to his brother for help, but there was none to be found as he too turned and followed the young woman out the door.

******

The door to the motel room flew open as Sam came in to find Dean sitting on one of the beds cleaning weapons. The elder Winchester raised his head briefly in acknowledgment of his brother's presence before going back to his work. Sam stood in the middle of the room looking around it in something akin to a panic.

"Where's Alex?"

"Gone."

His eyes grew wide. "What do you mean gone?"

Dean did not look up again as he spoke. "She took off. Said she needed to clear her head."

"Well where did she go? Do you have any idea where she went?"

A sigh escaped Dean's lips as his shoulders slumped, as if a giant weight had been lifted from them. He slowly put down his rag and pistol beside him on the bed before looking up. "Probably anywhere you aren't cuz that's sure as hell where I wanna be right now."

Sam's arms flailed out to his sides as he turned. Words died on his lips as he saw the look of utter disappointment on his brother's face. He shut his eyes and tried again to say something, anything that would make the situation better. Dean raised an eyebrow at him.

The door opened. Alex did not look up from her iPod as she shut the door. She had already pulled the ear buds from her ears when she finally looked up. Her eyes instantly found Sam. A look of pure sorrow was on his face. Nobody said a word. Alex placed her iPod on the table as she marched towards Sam, a look of rage still evident on her face. He started to open his mouth to explain, but she quickly shut it with a firm right hook to his jaw.

Sam's head snaps to the side and his shoulders turn with the sheer force of the blow. "You satisfied?" he asked as he turned back to Alex. Her only response was a left cross to the other side of his face before storming past him.

He raised a hand to his lip and found it was bleeding "I guess not."

"Do you have any idea how far off course you've gone?" Alex asked as she whirled to face him.

"I'm just exorcising demons."

"With your mind Sam!" She ran a hand through her hair as an exasperated sigh left her throat. "I can't even do that! What else can you do?"

Sam turned to his brother. "I can send them back to Hell. It only works with demons, and that's it."

She looked at him in disbelief. "What else can you do Sam?" she asked for the second time.

"I told you!" Now he was the run running fingers through tresses. "Look, I should have said something. I get that. I just…"

"Should have said something? You never should have even started!" she exclaimed. "Do you have any idea how terrifying it is to constantly wonder if the hunter on the other side of the bar is there for you? Do you?" He stared at her dumbfounded. "It sucks. I have to be so careful all the time." She gestured to the window. "If the other hunters out there knew about me, how long do you think it would be before they went out looking for me? How long before the hunter becomes the hunted? God Sam, do you ever stop and think?"

Hot angry tears had started to pour down her cheeks as she finished her rant. They did little to calm the quiet rage that was building inside Sam as she spoke. How could she not understand? After all the time we have spent together, how could she think he would do something like this without thinking it through first? Sam thought.

"I'm pulling demons out of innocent people. When we use the knife the host dies. I've saved more people in the last five months than we save in a year. I'm not gunna let it go too far. I promise. I'm only…"

Dean stood from the bed. While he had been fine just watching the exchanged thus far, there was only so much more he could listen to before giving his idiotic little brother a black eye to match the fat lip Alex had given him. "Shut up Sam!" he interjected. "This is a slippery slope brother. Have you forgotten the fact that you are the key that gets Alex a one way ticked to Hell?" Sam's face suddenly went blank. He looked over to the woman on the other side of the room, tear tracks still visible on her face as she crossed her arms in an attempt to shield herself. "Cas said that if I don't stop you, he will. See what that means, Sam? That means that God doesn't want you doing this either." He shoved a pointed finger in his brother's face. "I've been to Hell. I know what it's like down there, and I'll be damned before I let you get Alex tossed into the pit."

The silence that fell over the room was deafening. Tension built as the pause grew pregnant with the thoughts swirling in the three hunters heads. Each was lost in their own world, their own concerns. The sound of the phone ringing was a welcome release.

Sam pulled out his phone while the others turned and went about their business. The conversation they had been having was done. They never wanted to speak of it again.

******

The drive to Carthage was painfully silent. Dean didn't even turn on the radio, something quite strange for him. There was usually at least something in the background even if it was barely audible. When the neon lights of the run down little motel came into view a tension Dean had not realized he'd been holding drained from his body and allowed his shoulders to relax. He rolled his neck a little as he stepped out of the car. Having his muscles be so tight during the drive had taken its toll on him. Sam moved to get their things out of the trunk while Dean went to get them a room.

"I want my own room," declared Alex as she crawled from the back of the Impala and started to follow Dean, leaving Sam behind.

Dean responded. "No way. We are all sticking together until we know what we are dealing with."

"No way. If it's a money thing, I can pay for it myself."

Dean ran a hand down his face in frustration. "Look, I get you may not necessarily want to be around Sasquatch right now either. Trust me I get it, but it's safer if we all stick together." Alex crossed her arms over her chest and stuck her hip out, staring up at Dean in defiance. He watched her shoulders rise and fall as she lets out a very slow and controlled breath. "You can have my bed alright. I'll take the couch like we used to do okay?"

"Fine," Alex relented before going back to the Impala to get her things.

Five minutes later they were entering the room in complete silence. Alex was refusing to speak to Sam. She knew that the second she opened her mouth she would say something she would regret. The anger was still bubbling too close to the surface; it wouldn't take much for her to go off on Sam again.

Sam watched Alex follow Dean into the room with trepidation. He knew that she was pissed. She had every right to be, but they needed to talk. He wanted to explain to her what he was thinking. The problem was he wasn't sure she was ready to listen. A look of confusion formed on his face as she stopped at the bed closest to the door and put her bag down on the bed that was always reserved for Dean. He walked past her and placed his things on the bed they always shared and stared at her with a furrowed brow. "What are you doing?" he asked.

Alex looked up from where she was unzipping her duffle bag to look at Sam. "Unpacking my stuff," she said simply.

He looked to his brother and then back to her. "What do you mean?"

"You're over there," she said pointing to the bed directly in front of him, "I'm here, and Dean is over there," she finished as she pointed to the couch.

"Why? We haven't had that arrangement in years."

She sighed. "Sam… to be perfectly honest I really don't want to talk to you right now, let alone look at you. So why in the Hell would I want to sleep in a bed next to you?"

He swallowed. 'So talking will have to wait for later,' he thought.

A knock on the door alerted them to the arrival of a visitor. Alex's hand automatically went to her weapon, ready to strike. "Are we expecting company?" Alex asked.

Dean walks over to the door as if there is nothing to worry about and throws open the door with a smile on his face. "Travis!" he said as he opened the door to reveal their guest before embracing him in a manly embrace.

"Ah, good to see you," Travis said.

"You too."

They broke apart as Sam walked up to greet him as well.

"Good to see you."

"You too Travis."

"Man, you got tall kid." The men chuckled. "How long has it been?"

"Ah," Sam replied, "gotta be 10 years."

"You still a...oh, what was it… a mathlete?"

Sam scoffed. "No."

"Yep, sure is," Dean replied. Alex couldn't help but grin a little. It was true. Nobody ate up the chance to do research like Sam did.

"Been too long boys," Travis continued. "I mean look at you. Grown men. John would have been damn proud of you. Sticking together like this." He turned his head and finally seemed to take notice of the fact that they weren't alone in the room. Alex still had the gun in her hand, unsure of the stranger before her. "Who's this?" he asked the boys as he gestured towards her.

"Travis," Sam said as he made is way towards her and puts an arm around her shoulders, "this is Alexandra Thomas."

"Bobby's girl?"

Alex forced herself not to shove Sam's arm from her body as she stepped forward and extended a hand to Travis. "Alex." He nods at her has they shake hands and prepare to get down to business.

Travis walked over to the table and took a seat before starting in on what he had discovered. He had been observing a man for a couple of weeks named Jack Montgomery. From what he had seen, the man was starting to prefer his meat a little on the rare side. "Boys, we got a rougarou on our hands."

Dean looked at him in confusion as he handed him a beer. "A rougarou?" Alex's brows drew together not at the unusual creatures name but at the beer in the older Winchester's had. When did Dean have time to get a beer? We didn't stop anywhere. She shook it off, equating it to nothing more than her reading too much into the situation. "Is that made up?" Dean asked. "That sounds made up."

"They're mean, nasty little suckers. Rotted teeth, wormy skin, the works."

Alex grabbed the file she had put together before they left off of her bed and produced a photo of the man in question. "That can't be him," she said as she placed the photo on the table for all to see.

"He'll turn ugly soon enough. They start out human, for all intents and purposes."

"So what? They go through some kind of metamorphosis?" inquired Sam.

Travis began explaining the changes the rougarou goes through to become a monster. The key to it all from what the others could understand was that their hunger grew to astronomical proportions and their tastes quickly turned to something a bit more sinister in nature, as Travis put it… long pig.

Dean looked confused. "Long pig?"

Alex fought back the bile that had risen in her throat. "He means human flesh Dean." She placed a hand on her mouth to try and force back the nauseated feeling in her stomach. Sam placed a hand on her shoulder in concern, and she did nothing to rebuff him. The small amount of comfort the action brought her was more welcome than she would care to admit. It still amazed her some times that these things affected her. She was a hunter. She saw things that would make most people run in terror on a daily basis, but she just stood her ground and faced it. I suppose this proves that I'm not pure evil after all.

"And that's my word for the day."

"Hunger grows in," Travis continued, "till they can't fight it. Till they got to take themselves a big, juicy chomp, and then it happens."

"What happens?" Sam asked.

"They transform completely and fast."

Even though Travis had assured them that he knew all there was to know about their current foe, Sam told them he would still feel better if he did a little research first. This didn't sound like a bad idea to Alex. While Dean was ready to go in with guns blazing, or flame throws if Travis was to be believed, she was less than thrilled about killing a man before he did anything to deserve it just because he was born a certain way. That hit just a little too close to home for her.

Sam's research had actually proven to be quite fruitful. Travis was a bit insulted by the fact that the younger Winchester had chosen to go digging on his own instead of trusting his years of experience. A little grin crossed Alex's face as she listened to Sam stumble over his words in an attempt to explain himself. The fact that she still found him cute when he was flustered pissed her off to no end. She wanted to be mad at him until the end of time. Which if the angles were to be believed was just around the corner.

"Sam loves research," Dean said. "He does. He keeps it under his mattress right next to his KY. It's a sickness." Alex couldn't hold it in anymore and busted out laughing. The sound brought joy to Sam's heart. It was something he hadn't heard in days, and he was the reason for it.

He shook his head to rid himself of his thoughts. "Look, everything you said checked out, of course, but uh… I found a couple of interesting stories about people who have this rougarou gene or whatever. See, they start to turn, but they never take the final step."

Alex's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"See, if they never eat human flesh, they don't fully transform."

She didn't try to hide the affectionate smile forming on her face as she looked at him. I could kiss you right now Sam Winchester. Leave it to you and that silly brain of yours to find another solution.

"So what?" began Dean. "Go vegan, stay human?"

"Basically. Or in this case, eat a lot of raw meat, just not…"

"Long pig," his brother finished for him.

"Right."

A little self-satisfied smile formed on Dean's lips. This did not go unnoticed by Alex and she found she just could not help herself. "Aww," she began as she raised her hand to pinch his cheek before continuing in a tone of voice that one would use when speaking to a young child. "Did our little Deany learn a new word today?"

Sam snorted as he watched his brother being mocked. The look in Dean's eyes showed that he thought it was anything but funny. If he didn't know him so well, he would actually been worried for Alex's safety. Who knows? Maybe she could take him. She does have a pretty mean right hook, he thought as he subconsciously reached up to rub at his jaw.

The mood quickly shifted when Travis began to speak. "Good on you for due diligence, Sam" He stood. "But those are fairy tales," he finished before walking out the door.

******  
The scenery passed by quickly as Alex tried to block out the sound of the boys continuing to argue in the front seat. After Travis left, the three of them had a very lengthy debate about what they should do with Jack. It was eventually decided that they would go talk to the man and warn him off of taking the final step to becoming a monster. They had driven in silence for the first five minutes, but then Dean had opened his mouth and they hadn't stopped since.

"But I just want to make sure, if push comes, you're gunna shove."

Hearing Dean say this slowly brought Alex back to the conversation.

Sam sounded insulted when he replied. "Meaning?"

"Well, odds are we're gunna have to burn this guy alive."

"This guy has a name and a wife."

Alex sighed and leaned her head back against the seat. They had been through this already. Dean still believed that no matter what they attempted to embed in Jack Montgomery's mind, Travis' prediction was the only possible outcome. Even though she didn't want to admit it, she knew that he was probably right. The odds were stacked against them on this one. She hopped that they were wrong and talking to him would work. She didn't relish the idea of killing another human being. She was with Sam there.

Tension continued to mount as Dean persisted in his implications.

"This is what I mean, Sam. You sure your emotions aren't getting in the way here?"

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked in confusion.

"You know, nice dude, but he's got something evil inside. Something in his blood. Maybe you can relate."

Alex's head snapped up from the headrest. Did he really just say that? The shock on her face started to melt to rage. How dare he! Sam's not the only one in this boat. She opened her mouth to protest but was stopped by the sound of Sam's voice.

"Stop the car."

"What?"

"Stop the car or I will."

Arguing with his brother was Dean's intent when he looked over, but one look at Sam's face caused the fight to die on his lips. The look on Sam's face left no room for argument. Shoulders slumped; Dean pulled the Impala to the curb. Sam opened the door with more force than necessary before the car even stopped moving. Dean looked to Alex for support as he heard the door slam. There was no sympathy to be found there. Her eyes told him that she was just as pissed by his comment as his brother was. Dropping his head to his chest, Dean released a sigh before following his brother.

Alex didn't get out of the car right away. The brother's needed a moment. If she was being honest, they needed the moment just as much as she needed a chance to sit down and talk to Sam. Having a serious conversation is not easy when there is a third party around. True she could still hear all that was being said, but staying in the car at least gave them the illusion of privacy.

Everything that had been building inside of Sam for the past month started to spill from him in a tidal wave of anger and frustration. "You want to know why I've been lying to you Dean? Because of crap like this."

Dean moved around the car to stand in front of his brother. "Like what?"

"The way you talk to me, the way you look at me like I'm a freak!"

"I do not."

Sam is practically in his brother's face as he begins to yell. "You know, or even worse, like I'm an idiot! Like I don't know the difference between right and wrong!"

"Do you know the difference Sam? I mean, you've been kind of strolling a dark road lately"

"You have no idea what I'm going through. None."

"Then enlighten me!"

Neither noticed the sky begin to darken as the war of words raged on.

"I've got demon blood in me, Dean! This disease pumping through my veins, and I can't ever rip it out or scrub it clean. I'm a whole new level of freak!"

All yelling suddenly stopped when they heard the passenger door of the Impala slam with bone crushing force as a crack of thunder could be heard in the distance.

"That's enough!" The boys stopped and stared at the obviously pissed of female hunter moving towards them. "Both of you just shut the fuck up!" A clap of thunder rang out through the air. "You're both pissed off at each other. Well guess what? So am I!" She turned to Sam and shoved a finger into his well-muscled chest. "You can't trust Dean because he'll look at you differently. Okay fine." Dean started to defend himself, but Alex held up a hand to silence him. "But what about me? Why did you lie to me Sam? Hu? All those nights you went off for what I thought was a walk to clear your head because you still felt guilty about your brother, you were going off to meet with Ruby behind my back. Why couldn't you say something to me?" Sam hung his head in shame. "You think I wouldn't understand having powers that you don't fully understand? You've got demon blood in you," Alex began to choke on her words and tears started to fill her eyes. "What about what's in my blood Sam?"

Sam and Dean stood completely still, thoughts swirling in their heads. With all of the mistrust between the brothers neither one had really thought about how their views of each other would affect her. Sam swallowed the lump in his throat. She was right. There was no reason for him not to trust her. Out of everyone he had ever met, Alex was the one person who could understand being able to do the unexplainable.

The older Winchester just looked at her with wide eyes as she turned her own tear filled ones to him. A single tear slide down her cheek. The image nearly chilled him to the bone. "You want your brother to talk to you, Dean? How about you try talking to him first." She held his gaze in challenge as the sky began to clear. He looked away first. He had learned that holding her gaze for too long reveled more than you wanted to. That's how she had learned about Hell after all. That's when he realized something. She hasn't said anything to Sam. His eyes quickly sought hers again. The look he saw there let him know his suspicions were right.

"Get in the car," she said as she wiped the tear from her face. 'I can't believe I'm crying,' she thought. 'I hate crying.' She started moving back toward the Impala. "We have work to do."

******

The trio sauntered wearily into their motel room after a long stressful day. Alex fell onto her bed in exhaustion and let out a huff as her head hit the pillow. The boys didn't show much more life as they collapsed onto the furniture as well. Jack had been reluctant to talk to them at first. Then when Alex had started to describe the things he had been going through, things he had not told another living soul about, he agreed to listen. Dean had delivered the doom and gloom in a very matter of fact way. The news of what he would become had hit Jack hard. It was easy to tell by the look on his face that he was devastated by the fact that his worst nightmare was reality. He was in fact becoming a monster. Sam had tried to bring light to the situation by giving the man hope. "It doesn't have to be like this Jack," he said. "You can fight it off." There was a small flicker of hope in his eyes when he had heard others had done it, but it quickly died when they had been forced to tell him about the alternative. After which he quickly ordered them off of his property with a threat to call the cops if they ever made another appearance.

"Well," Dean said from his half reclined position on the couch, "I don't know about you two but I'm starving. I'm gunna go get us some grub."

Once Dean left the room the silence went from that of exhaustion to one of severe discomfort. Sam looked over at Alex lying on the bed as her words from earlier ran through his head. "What about what's in my blood Sam?" he heard her voice repeat in his head. The memory of the devastated look in her eyes as she spoke about his sneaking off to meet Ruby still caused his stomach to lurch. Tearing his eyes from her, he examined his shoes while choking on all the things he wanted to say. "Alex," he began, his voice gruff and uneven.

She slid her arm up from where it was lying across her eyes to rest on the pillow above her head. There was a look of complete indifference. "Yeah."

"We need to talk."

"Sam," she sighed.

"Look I'm sorry okay," he said as he moved forward and sat down on the bed beside her. She rolled away from him and moved to a seated position on the opposite side of the bed. "I know that doesn't even begin to cover it. I shouldn't have lied to you. I know that. I just…" he paused as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I just didn't know how to tell you. I..."

Alex spoke in calm and collected voice, never turning to look at him. "You didn't know how to tell me what Sam? That you would rather talk to a demon that to me?" Sam watched her shoulders slump as she let out a loud sigh. "I understand what you were doing with Ruby. I know you thought you were doing something good. You only want to help people Sam. I get that. I do. I just don't understand why you had to hide it from me." Alex turned her head to look at him over her shoulder. "I love you, Sam. I just don't know if I can trust you anymore." The words stung like a slap to the face. She stood. "I'm going to go take a shower before we meet up with Travis."

Not another word was spoken. He watched her walk across the room and shut the door behind her. The sound it made caused him to jump. As he shut his eyes, a single tear formed and ran down his face as he stared at the blank door in front of him.

******

The plan was to meet Travis at a bar around 6 o'clock that evening. He never showed. After waiting around for nearly two hours, Sam, Alex, and Dean decided to head to the Montgomery house to do some reconnaissance. When they pulled up outside the house the last thing they expected to see was Travis' car on the other side of the street.

"I guess now we know where Travis is," Dean said.

Grabbing their homemade flamethrowers, the trio slowly made their way up to the front door. Dean began to reach for the doorknob when Alex offered to go around back. The boys were reluctant to send her off on her own, but agreed none the less.

She crouched low as she prepared to make her way around the side of the house a silently as possible. She paused for a moment at the corner to look back at the boys. Sam turned to her and offered a weak smile before following his brother through the door.

The damp grass muffled her steps, and Alex offered a silent pray of thanks to whoever was listening for the rain they had gotten earlier that day. Peering through the kitchen window offered no clues as to what was going on in the house. A loud thump came from somewhere inside the house and caused Alex's heart rate to skyrocket. 'Sam! Dean!' Running now, she flew through the back door prepared to fight whatever jumped out at her first. As she rounded the corner, Alex saw Sam pulling out his lighter to ignite the flamethrower. A creature that she could only assume used to be Jack Montgomery began to charge him. She yelled out his name in warning, but it was too late.

The two crashed to the floor with such force that Sam's head rebounded off of the floor. Disoriented from the blow to the head, he could do nothing as Jack grabbed the flamethrower and slammed it into his face, knocking him out cold.

Alex gulped in an attempt to swallow her quickly rising fear. When she realized that Dean was not attacking the "man," it became clear to her that he too must have been attacked. With shaking hands, she raised her own flamethrower and quickly started searching her pockets for a lighter. A memory flashed in her mind of placing it on the counter at the bar when she was pulling out her ID. 'I must not have picked it up.' She barely had enough time to yell "Shit!" before everything went dark.

******

A groan passed Sam's lips as his eyes slowly began to blink open. It took a moment for him to register that his dark surroundings were actually a closet. Bolting upright, he grabbed his head and groaned as he began to study everything more closely. A mass lay before him in the dark. It only took a second for him to recognize the figure.

"Dean?"

He shook his brother forcefully until he too started to wake, raising a hand to his likewise throbbing head.

"Sam?"

They looked around silently for a moment until they realized that a member of their party was missing. Their eyes both snapped to the others and a single thought ran through their minds. Alex.

Sam called out in question, "Alex?"

Dean followed, "Alex?"

Their only answer was Jack saying, "Alex can't come to the phone right now."

"You son of a bitch!" Dean cursed in outrage.

Images of what was left of Travis' body flashed behind Sam's eyelids followed closely by images of Alex meeting the same gruesome fate. "Jack!" he screamed. "If you hurt her, I swear to God!"

"Calm down!" he replied. "Your girlfriend's alive." He looked at the young woman lying unconscious on the coffee table before him, her chest steadily rising and falling with each breath. "But not if you… don't calm down."

Sam forced himself to take slow even breaths. 'I have to be careful.' Dean on the other hand was boiling. He held his tongue in concern for his friend's life, but his thoughts were anything but calm and rational. 'When I get my hands on you, you son of a bitch I'm gunna rip your heart out.'

"Alright, Jack," Sam began as he struggled to keep the panic out of his voice. "Listen. Open the door. We can figure this out, okay?"

Dean joined in. "Yeah Jack open up." His voice sounded anything but calm. "We can have ourselves a little brainstorming session."

There was only silence.

"Jack please," Sam begged. He had to see for himself that Alex was alright. There was no way that he was ever going to be able to truly calm down until he saw her alive and breathing with his own eyes.

"I don't think so. After what you did?"

The boys looked at each other in confusion.

"What?" Dean asked. "What are you talking about?"

"You send your friend here. He tried to burn my," his voice broke, "wife alive."

Sam was shocked. "What? Why?"

By this time Dean had realized that there was no chance of Jack just letting them out of the closet, so he started searching his pockets for the lock picks he kept hidden on his person at all times. A cocky little grin appeared on his face as he pulled the set out and showed it to his brother. He didn't even have to say a word. Sam knew exactly what the look on Dean's face meant. Distract him.

"Listen to me. You gotta believe me," Sam began. "My brother and I, we never would hurt her, okay?"

Jack moved closer to Alex as he listened to Sam's voice as he pleaded with him for release. He leaned closer to her face and studied her. 'She's very pretty,' he thought. He started to turn his head slightly to examine her more closely until he noticed the small pool of blood that had formed under her head. With a shaking hand, Jack reached out and dipped his finger into the crimson liquid. Bringing the finger to his mouth, he sucked the blood from his fingers with a look of absolute pleasure on his face. He savored the taste on his tongue for a moment before beginning to rock back and forth.

"Oh God. I'm so hungry."

Sam looked to Dean with wide eyes and the later worked furiously on the lock.

"Jack don't do this."

The lock suddenly gave way both boys burst forward from the closet to see Jack begin to advance towards Alex with his mouth open. Dean notices their discarded flamethrowers lying only a few feet away. Scrambling for them, the boys both ready their lighters as they come to a standing position in the doorway.

Alex groaned in pain as she slowly begins to come back to wakefulness. As her eyes fluttered open she came face to face with a gaping mouth descending on her neck and screamed.

"Hey asshole," Dean said.

Jack quickly turned and stood. There before him where both Winchester's, flamethrowers in hand, staring him down. In nearly perfect unison they flicked their lighters and flames shot towards Jack. On instinct, Alex covered her face and rolled away from the burst of flames. As the heat radiated from the flames slowly died away, Alex uncovered her eyes and rolled back over.

The instant the flame was extinguished Sam dropped his weapon and raced to Alex. He was glad to find that she welcomed him with open arms. "Are you okay?" he asked as he reached to hold her head in his hands. She nodded silently until his hand came in contact with the wound on the side of her head. She gave a low hiss of pain and pulled away from his hand. "Come on," Sam said as he helped Alex to her feet. When she stood he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her to his side where she leaned as they walked to the car together.

******

The alcohol burned her scalp as Sam gently cleaned the wound. Hardly a word was spoken on the driver home. Everyone was so lost in their own thoughts that conversing with each other was utterly impossible. That same silence continued when they reached their shared room. Dean had just walked straight to the bathroom and turned on the shower. The tenderness and affection Sam showed Alex when he helped her up continued when he gestured for her to sit so that he could take care of her.

She jerked away as he dabbed at the wound with a wet cloth again. "Sorry," Sam said.

"It's okay." Alex moved back so that he could continue treating her wound.

"Not just for this," he said as he gestured towards her head. "For everything. This thing with the demon blood…my powers... it's like there is this dark pit inside of me."

Alex turned and looked at him. "That doesn't mean that you have to fall into it Sam." There was a moment of silence as he looked away from her in shame before slowly bringing his eyes back up to hers. "You think you're alone in this Sam? You think you're the only one that has to fight to keep from going off the deep end?" Sam's brows knit together in confusion. Alex closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself.

"Ever since Castiel showed up," she began, "I've had to deal with this prophesized destiny where I free Satan and destroy the world, and I can feel it. I can feel my power growing and fighting to get out, and there are times that I just want to say the hell with it and let it. There are times when I want to just accept my destiny. It would be so much easier to just give in and accept it, but I don't have to. I guess what I'm getting at is," she reached forward and placed one of her hands on top of both of his rather large ones, "you don't have to be a monster Sam. You have a choice."

There was silence for a moment before Sam nodded his head. "You're right. It's just something I've got to deal with." Alex brought her other hand up to his face and ran her hands through his silky locks before resting her palm against his cheek. Sam shut his eyes at the sensation and turned his head to plant a soft kiss to her palm before leaning into it and looking into her eyes. "These powers… it's playing with fire. I'm done with them. I'm done with everything."

"Really? No more physic stuff? No more Ruby?"

"No. It's over. I promise."

"Good." Alex smiled before leaning in and placing a gentle kiss on Sam's lips.

******

Dean leaned his head back against the bathroom door after hearing the last of their conversation. The sound of Sam's voice talking about the pit inside of him rang through his ears as he ran a hand down his face and turned to the since to brush his teeth.

After rinsing, he leaned against the sink and looked at his reflection in the eye. As he stared into their depths, he fell into the darkness hidden there by a cocky smile and a sarcastic remark. The screams of torture souls surrounded him as he saw them stripped bare before him. Sam worried that he was a monster, but as Dean looked at himself in the mirror the only monster he saw was himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback welcome.


	30. Chapter 30

Hustling pool was practically second nature to the boys. John Winchester had taught his sons well. You make your target believe that you were terrible at the game and to incapacitated or stupid to know better. Sam was currently going with option number one.

"Brian, come on man just one more," he slurred. "Just… just give me a chance to win it back."

"It's your cash," the man replied.

"Excuse me," Dean chimed in. "My brother's a little sauced to be making bets."

"He insisted."

"Yeah, but you've already taken, what, two bills off him? I'm just saying."

They had played maybe three games so far, and Sam had made sure that he lost every one of them. The amount of money he lost went up a little on each game. This was common practice for the boys. Alex was helping out by hanging on Sam and acting like some barfly that wanted to follow him home for the evening.

Things were still a bit strained between herself and Sam. They had taken a huge step back at Halloween when Sam had used his powers to exercise Samhain. She had been furious with him for breaking his promise.

***flashback***

"What the hell Sam!" she screamed.

"I just stopped a demon from slaughtering a whole town."

Alex huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. The fact that he had gone back on his word pissed her off more than the act itself.

"And what did you have to do in order to have that kind of power Sam?"

"What?"

She wasn't stupid. Being born with her abilities, the difference between their abilities was obvious to her. It took work for her to keep her abilities from manifesting against her will. Sam was doing something to trigger them. She could easily look into his mind and find the answer through his eyes, but that was not the kind of person she wanted to be. She had come close enough to crossing a line with Bela, and that had scared her enough to make her second guess the way she used her gifts.

"I know you didn't just stumble onto this Sam. You are doing something to make yourself stronger. What is it?"

*** end flashback***

The sound of Sam telling his brother to shut up broke her from her reverie. It was no matter. She had received no answer that night nor would she find one tonight, so she just focused on slipping into character as she sauntered to Sam's side and draped herself on his arm.

"Yeah Dean," she parroted in her sickeningly sweet voice. It hurt even her own ears, but for some reason it worked like a charm. "He's fine. Aren't you baby?"

Sam looked down at her and smiled before placing a rather passionate kiss on her lips. The kiss was probably a bit overkill. He knew that, but Alex didn't really let him get that close to her these days. She had at least agreed to share a bed with him again. There was a sneaking suspicion in his mind that it had more to do with how bad she felt when seeing his brother's daily aches and pains from sleeping on the couch than actually wanting to lay down beside him. So he took the chance when he saw it.

The grin stayed on his face as he pulled out a wad of bills and placed them on the table without looking away from Alex. "Let's make it five hundred."

Dean pretended to be chocking on the amount while Brian racked the balls to allow Sam to break. While he was looking down Sam raised an eyebrow at his brother, all traces of drunkenness gone. Alex joined in by winking at the two of them. She knew it just as well as they did. They had this guy hook, line, and sinker.

Sam's break was perfect. Several balls went into the pockets while the cue ball lined up a perfect second shot. Brian looked up at him in shock. He just shrugged as if to say it was nothing but luck. Something caught his eye as he moved to line up his next shot. Ruby. She was standing across the bar and beckoning for him to join her.

His pause did not go unnoticed by Alex who followed his gaze to the demon across the room.

"Keep the money," said Sam as he put the cue on the table and walked away.

"Keep the money? What…" Dean was so confused. He looked to Alex for understanding and saw the look of pure hatred she had on her face. He followed her line of sight and did a double take when he saw who is brother was walking toward.

Tension rolled off of Alex in waves when she stepped down off of her stool and joined Dean and Sam. All of her nerve endings tingled with barely contained power.

"Well," Dean said, "you got a lot of nerve showing up anywhere near me."

Dean was not who Ruby was focused on however. She saw the look in Alex's eyes and could feel her power shimmer in the air as she stared daggers into her.

"I just have some info, and them I'm gone," she swore.

"What is it?"

"I'm hearing a few whispers."

"Why would we care about demon whispers," asked Alex.

"Because they are about you." That got the hunters' collective attention very quickly. "The order is to capture you alive."

"Capture me?"

"Yeah. I just figured that whatever the deal is you might want to lay low for a while."

Sam could not keep the panic from his voice as he asked, "Why do they want to capture Alex?"

"I don't know. Look I'm just delivering the news. You can do whatever you want with it. Far as I'm concerned, I told you. I'm done."

******

The drive back to the motel was a little tense to say the least. Having demons hunting her was not exactly at the top Alex's fun things list. Not knowing what they wanted was even farther down. She knew that they couldn't really hurt her, bride of Satan and all, but if they wanted her for something it couldn't be for anything good.

"So what's the plan?" she asked from the back seat.

"The plan," Dean said, "is we get you to somewhere safe. Then Sammy and I are going to go find out what they want and take care of it."

"Whoa wait a second." Sam's brows drew together as he gave his brother a skeptical expression. "So we are just going to dump Alex off somewhere by herself and head back out?"

"Pretty much."

"No way. We are not leaving her to face whatever's coming by herself."

"Agreed," Alex chimed in. "I'm not a big fan of that plan either. Laying low is a good idea. I agree, but there is no way that you two are leaving me behind. We're a team, and teams work together. I say we load everything up and head back to Bobby's to do a little recon and then go after the demons on my tail."

Dean glanced at her in the rear-view mirror. A look of determination was on her face, and the slightly lifted eyebrow told him this was one fight he would never win. "Fine."

******

Clothes were quickly shoved into bags as the trio worked to get everything ready to go. They would clear out and head to Bobby's safe room to do a little research. It was the only place they could think of that would truly protect them from demons. True Alex could always use her magic, but she and Sam both agreed that using their powers lead down a dark path that neither of them wished to traverse.

A sudden knock at the door broke them all out of their thoughts.

"Housekeeping."

Dean rolled his eyes and growled. "Not now!"

"Sir I've got clean towels."

Looks were exchanged between the hunters. It was clear to each of them that this woman was not going to leave until they let her in. Dean begrudgingly opened the door to reveal a large black woman in a maid's uniform waiting for them.

"Couldn't you just leave 'em at the door?" asked Dean.

She just walked right past him without giving any acknowledgement of his existence. The woman came to a stop directly in front of Sam and gave him a piece of paper.

"I'm at this address," she said.

Confused, Sam responded. "I'm sorry. What?"

"Go now." She pointed to the back of the room. "Go through the bathroom window, don't stop, don't take your car, don't pass go. There are demons in the hallway and in the parking lot."

Alex narrowed her eyes slightly as she focused on the true face hidden behind the fleshy mask. "Ruby?"

"Okay, yes, so I'm possessing this maid for a hot minute. Sue me."

"What about…" Sam started.

"Coma girl?" Ruby cut him off. "Slowly rotting on the floor at the cabin. I've got to hurry back. See you when you get there." She turned on her heel walked out without another word.

Sam looked at the piece of paper in his hand. "So I guess it looks like we're not going to Bobby's," he said.

"No. We are not…"

All conversation suddenly stopped at the sound of some sort of scuffle outside the door, the demon's Ruby had warned them about. As quickly as possible, they all grabbed their bags and made for the bathroom window.

******

The sky had grown dark by the time they reached the rundown old cabin in the woods. Looking around, it was definitely the kind of place you would go to if you needed to hide out for a while. It was the kind of place that nobody would want to live in, so no one would think twice about checking it.

As the Impala came to a stop, the headlights landed on Ruby standing out in front of the cabin to greet them.

"Glad you could make it."

Alex rolled her eyes as she exited the vehicle. The demon was still on her shit list, but she seemed to be helping them for the time being. As long as she was helping Alex would put up with her. Trust, on the other hand was not something she was likely to do. Sam's blind trust in her was enough. Someone had to remind him that at the end of the day Ruby was still the enemy.

Everyone walked inside in silence.

"Okay Ruby," Alex began. "Why did you bring us here?"

Before she could answer everything started to shake violently. The wind howled as if a violent storm had suddenly started. The door to the cabin suddenly opened causing the hunters to jump in surprise. They relaxed slightly when Castiel entered the room followed closely by Uriel.

"Please tell me you're here to help. We've been having demon issues all day," Dean said.

Castiel did not even blink. "We're here for the Mayfair."

"Here for her like...here for her?"

"Stop talking. Give her to us," Uriel said in irritation.

"Are you gunna help her?" Sam asked.

"No," Castiel replied, "she has to die."

Alex gulped. "What do you mean?" she asked, fear evident in her voice.

"Seals are breaking at an alarming rate," Castiel replied. "With each seal, Lucifer comes closer to being freed and your powers grow."

Protective instinct took over causing Sam to place an arm in front of Alex and place himself between her and the angels. Normally she would have protested, said something about how she could take care of herself, but this time she went willingly. He tried to defend her.

"She hasn't been using them," he said. "If she's not using her powers she can't accept the deal. She's not going to free Lucifer."

"If you're so worried about it," said Dean, "why don't you just stop Lilith from breaking the 66 seals?

"It's not that simple," Castiel replied.

"Why not?"

"There are over 600 possible seals. Lilith only has to break 66 of them. The last one requires the Mayfair to be broken. If…"

Uriel interrupted him, "If your little girlfriend is no longer in the picture than Lucifer can never rise."

Alex kept backing up during the conversation. Things were quickly going against her and there was no easy way out. "I'm not going to raise Lucifer," she cried. "I would never do that. If I wanted him to rise I would be helping Lilith instead of trying to find a way to stop her."

The angel took a step forward. Dean took a step towards his brother, forming a human wall between the angels and Alex. "Ruby get her out of here."

"Don't worry," said Uriel. "I'll kill her gentle."

Alex's eyes grew wide. She heard Sam yelling at her to run as she started to head for the door behind her. The sound of the boys trying to fight off the angels reached her ears. It was a losing battle. There was no way she was going to get out of this. They stood no chance against the angels.

She blinked and a blinding image appeared on her eyelids. Knowledge flooded her mind. Without pausing to consider what she was doing, she knelt and pulled a knife from her boot. There was no hint of hesitation as she drug it across her left forearm, dipped her fingers in the blood, and began to draw.

Sam and Dean knew that they were quickly losing the fight. It would not be long until the angels completely overpowered them and took Alex by force. "Cas, stop… please." The angel did not listen. He only placed his fingers on his head, rendering him unconscious.

The fight suddenly came to a screeching halt as a blinding light began to pour from the angels bodies. It engulfed the room, and suddenly the angels were gone. Dean looked around in confusion as he made his way towards a fallen Ruby and helped her to her feet. Sam slowly began to regain consciousness. All signs that the angels had ever been there were gone. They were along in the room. Fear gripped at Sam's heart as that thought registered in his brain. They were alone.

Dean saw the panicked look on his brother's face and heard him say one word. "Alex." Dean's eyes grew wide as Sam began to scream her name and forced his way to his feet to look for her. He found her kneeling in the next room a small puddle of blood forming around her.

"Are they," Alex swallowed before continuing, "are they gone?"

It only took a moment for Sam to piece together what had happened. There was some sort of sigil on the wall drawn in blood and a large gash was gushing blood on her arm. "Oh god."

The words reached the elder Winchester's ears, spurring him to action. His brother was applying pressure to Alex's bleeding arm as she leaned against him, unsteady from the recent blood loss. "Did you kill them?" he asked.

Alex shook her head. "No. I sent them away." She lifted her eyes to meet his.

"Far away."

"You want to tell us how?"

Sam too was curious about how she had known the spell.

"It just popped into my head," she said. "Kind of like the Devil's Trap made of light did. I was scared and it just came to me."

"Come on," Sam said as he helped Alex to her feet. "We've got to get out of here."

******

The salt drenched iron walls of Bobby's panic room did little to make Alex feel better. Sam had stitched and bandaged her arm once they arrived. Keeping demons away was easy. They were well practiced in that, but the angels….

"Dean this isn't going to stop the angels," Alex said as she flopped onto the bed. "Salted iron's not going to stop them."

"Well it's all we've got right now," he responded in exasperation,

Ruby stood outside the panic room. "Not true." She began tossing small bags to the three hunters inside the room. She couldn't cross over the threshold, but they had been kind enough to leave the door open so she could be a part of the conversation. "Extra-crunchy. They'll hide us from angels, demons, all comers."

"Thanks Ruby," said Dean. Alex just gave her a small smile and a nod while Sam looked as if he was ready to hug the demon.

Alex quickly stood from her spot. "Well, now that we have these there is no since in staying down here." She began moving to the door. "I'm going upstairs to figure out all we can about our winged friends. Feel free to join me. I'll be done reading everything sometime next century," she finished before storming up the stairs to start on the giant pile of angel lore she and Bobby had found when Cas first appeared.

******

Two hours had passed with no luck. Dean had stopped reading the ancient texts after about an hour ago and went to call Bobby for help. Ruby was off somewhere doing God knows what, and Alex was still reading page after page in a desperate attempt to find something that would work.

Sam sighed and ran his fingers through his hair as he pulled back from the volume in front of him. The sound drew Alex's attention from the spell she was reading. Their eyes locked across the table, the same looked mirrored in their eyes. The search was becoming tedious for the both of them. With each second that passed their hope of getting the angles off their backs was dwindling. Sam reached a hand across the table and rubbed his thumb against the back of Alex's hand in comfort. She gave him a weak smile before going back to her books.

Dean hung up the phone as he came into the room.

"Where's Bobby?" Sam asked.

"Uh the Dominican. He said we break anything, we buy it."

"He's working a job?"

"God I hope so. Otherwise, he's at hedonism in a banana Hammock and trucker cap."

"Dean!" Alex yelled as she as she brought both hands to her face. "That is one image of my dad I did not need."

"Yeah," agreed Sam. "Now that's seared in my brain."

"Disturbing mental imagery aside, what do we have?" asked Dean.

"Not much. Alex and I have been looking through book after book for a while now and we haven't found anything."

"That may not be true." Alex's eyes grew wide as she sat up straighter. Looking from the boys to the book in front of her and back again. The boys moved closer to see what she had found. "It's a spell. If I'm reading this right, it's a spell that makes you invulnerable to angels."

"How does that work?" Dean asked skeptically.

"It makes you a part of Heaven."

Sam looked confused, "So you'd be an angel?"

"No. Not exactly. You use the grace of an angel to make yourself beloved of Heaven. That means that the power of Heaven cannot be used to kill you."

Dean started to pace around the room while Sam looked over the text. "So what," Dean began, "you can't die? 'Cause the demons can't touch you and now the angels can't either?"

"Not exactly. I wouldn't be immortal. They just couldn't zap me like they can most. It's not much, but it's all we've got Dean."

"Okay, so where do we find this grace?"

Sam looked up from the book. "I've got an idea."

******

The road stretched before them as the Impala roared down the deserted highway. Some research revealed to Sam that grace was pure creation and any place that grace might have touched would have made headlines. Alex found an article about a tree that appeared out of nowhere after a shooting star was seen the night before. After some debate, they decided to go check it out.

That was how Alex found herself sitting in the back seat next to Ruby. When their arms came into contact in the tight space it was all she could do not to scrub her skin or shiver in disgust. The rest of the time she found herself wanting to strangle the demon beside her for what she did to Sam. Lying bitch! If you ever do anything to cross me again I swear to God I will find a way to end you, she thought over and over again.

Dean looked in the rear-view mirror and saw the tension in Alex's shoulders. "Everything okay back there?"

The two women answered at the same time. "Fine." "Just peachy."

It was impossible for Sam to miss the sarcasm in Alex's tone as she said the word 'peachy.' For the first time since getting into the car he turned to look at her. A scowl was firmly planted on her face. When their eyes met he could have sworn he heard her say something about wanting to burn Ruby's bones for ever going near him, but her lips never moved.

"How much longer?" she asked as she turned her eyes back to Dean's in the mirror.

"A couple hours."

She sighed and sank back into the corner to get as far away from Ruby as she could.

The car came to a stop and Alex practically sprang from the backseat, desperate to get away from the person she liked the least in the universe. Fresh air filled her lungs as she closed her eyes and breathed deep, enjoying the feeling of the sun on her skin.

"You okay?" she heard Sam say as he came up behind her, placing a hand on the small of her back.

Alex nodded. "Yeah." She looked up at him and smiled. "Let's do this."

They moved towards their destination with purpose. A large tree appeared in front of them, standing alone as a beacon of hope for the weary hunters.

"It's beautiful," said Dean.

Closing her eyes, Alex reached out with her senses and found a faint energy. "It's where the grace touched down. I can feel it." Hope shown through her eyes as she marched onward with determination towards her goal. She stopped a yard from the tree and just stared at it, contemplating how this would change things.

Dean stopped beside her. "You ready to do this?"

She nodded before starting to move forward.

"You will not find it."

The group stopped and turned in the direction the voice came from to see Castiel standing a few yards behind them.

"What do you mean?" Alex asked.

"The grace is no longer here. I'm afraid you came all this way for nothing."

"I don't believe you," Alex said before turning her back on the angel and dashing for the tree. The instant her palm made contact with the trunk she knew he was telling the truth. "No." She didn't speak above a whisper, but when her head dropped everyone could see her disappointment.

"I am truly sorry," said Castiel.

"No," Alex replied as she pushed herself off of the tree, "you're not." She turned towards him. "If you were you wouldn't be coming after me in the first place."

"What I may or may not feel is irrelevant. I came to deliver a message."

"How did you find us?" asked Ruby as she pulled her hex bag out of her jacket pocket.

"We knew it was only a matter of time until you discovered the spell to make Alexandra beloved of Heaven. There are very few places to find the grace of an angel on Earth. We have been watching all of them.

"So, what's the message?" Sam asked.

"You have until midnight. Then we come for the Mayfair." Alex's eyes grew wide. "I am telling you this so that you can say your good-byes. I truly am sorry." Then with the rustle of wings, he was gone.

******

Alex sat alone on the hood of the car, her feet pulled up to rest on the bumper. She rested her head on her arms that were draped across her knees, just staring up at the sky. The stars twinkled brightly without a cloud in the sky. I wonder how many there are? Are they actually angels watching me? Thoughts like these had been racing through her mind ever since their meeting with Castiel.

Once they returned to the house she excused herself and went for a walk. Sam had offered to go with her, but she had refused. Time to herself to think was what she needed most at the time. Now she was not so sure.

"Don't let Dean catch you with your feet on his car." Alex turned her head in the direction of the voice and smiled at Sam. "He loves this car more than anything you know."

She nodded. "Yeah. I do."

He came to sit next to her. A few minutes passed without a single word. Sam would occasionally look over at her and study her face. Her chin was once again resting on her arms as she turned her eyes to the sky. He wanted to say something to her but didn't know where to begin. What do you say to someone that was just told they wouldn't live through the night? Turning away, Sam looked down at his feet. He was still lost in thought when Alex spoke.

"Do you think it will hurt?" she asked.

"What?"

"Dying. Do you think it will hurt?" She turned her head and rested her cheek on her arm. The tears clearly shining in her eyes caused a lump to form in his throat.

"Hey come here," he said as he put his arm around her and pulled her to his side. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you alright. We still have the hex bags Ruby made so they can't track us. We can just stay in the safe room for a while until we find another way out of this."

"For how long Sam." Her voice breaking as the tears began to pour down her face. "I can't hide from both Heaven and Hell forever. Eventually one of them is going to get me."

"No they're not. Look at me." He dropped his arm from around her shoulders and forced her to look at him. The look on her face was that of total despair. It was clear that she had given up hope, and it broke his heart. Placing his hands on either side of her face, he looked her dead in the eye as he spoke. "I will never let anything happen to you. I promise." Alex nodded weakly as she shut her eyes tightly against the pain in her chest, another tear escaping.

Sam leaned forward and gently kissed away her salty tear. A shudder ran through Alex's body as she brought a hand up to clasp Sam's wrist while he gently kissed the tear stain on her other cheek. When she opened her eyes what she saw took her breath away. Sam's hazel eyes were so clear that she could see the concern and love he had for her shining through them. Her eyes flickered to his lips for a moment before she closed the last remaining space between them. Alex did all she could to pour every last feeling she had for Sam into what would most likely be their final kiss. In that moment all that had happened between them no longer mattered. All she cared about was showing him just how much she loved him.

******

Staying at Bobby's house was not best battle plan. Even with the hex bags shielding them, it was one of the first places someone would look for them when the time came. That was why they found themselves in an old barn in the middle of nowhere. Dean had surprisingly actually been the one to suggest the change of scenery.

Ever since her breakdown with Sam, Alex had been thinking about giving up and turning herself in to the angels. She pulled her hex bag from her pocket and twirled it around in her hand. It would be so easy. Her other hand came to rest on the zippo in her jeans pocket. Just one little spark and poof.

"Where's Ruby?" she asked.

"I don't know. Ask Sam. She's his little Hell buddy."

"Really Dean," she replied as she rolled her eyes. He shrugged and took a drink from his flask. "You okay?"

He wouldn't even look at her when he told her, "Yeah of course." No sooner had the words left his mouth than the barn doors flew open.

Both Sam and Alex jumped. The figures that appeared in the doorway made her blood run cold.

Castiel spoke. "Hello Alexandra. It's good to see you again."

Alex slowly moved to stand as Sam placed himself between her and the angels for the second time that day. "How?" Sam asked. "How did you find us?" His eyes began flying randomly around the room looking for an escape. That's when he noticed his brother looking less than surprised at the angels' presence. In fact, he was still looking down at his flask. "Dean?"

A look of despair came over him as he raised his eyes to look at Alex. "I'm sorry." Sam instantly began to question his brother's intentions, but Alex understood. There was only one thing that would cause Dean to hand her over, and as she looked into his eyes she could see the thoughts that proved her right.

"Because they gave him a choice," she answered for him. They either kill me… or kill you." Sam looked back and forth between his brother and the love of his life. The looks on both of their faces showed sadness as well as acceptance of the situation. "Besides, I can't run forever."

Taking a step around Sam, she gave Dean a hug that he gladly returned. "I'm sorry," he said. His arms held her tight as she whispered her understanding and reassurance into his ear. When their arms finally released the other she gave him a weak smile before turning back to Sam.

Unshed tears were swimming in his eyes. When she reached a hand to him he pulled her forward, crashing her to him. They clung to each other desperately. The tears finally released themselves from Sam's eyes. Alex could feel the wetness against her skin. Pulling back she placed her hands on either side of his face and locked eyes with him. Alex's voice began to sound in his ears even though she did not speak. Words of endless love and devotion filled his mind as a sense of calm overcame him. She brought her face up to his and kissed him good-bye. The kiss was salty and tender. It was not until she had pulled away and Sam ran his thumb across her cheek that she realized that the saltiness was from her own tears.

"Okay," she said as she gathered her composure and turned to face the angels. "No more tricks. No more running." She stood a little bit taller as she stared them down. "I'm ready."

"I'm sorry," Castiel said.

"No," Alex replied. "You're not. Not really." She took a deep breath to calm her nerves and stepped forward. "Just…" her voice unsteady, "just make it quick." She shut her eyes and waited for the inevitable.

She was not sure what she expected. Pain. Silence. A flash of light even, but nothing happened. Instead there were sounds of shuffling heard moving towards them.

"Don't you touch a hair on that poor girl's head," said Alastair as he entered the room, two demons dragging a bloody Ruby behind him. She looked up at the others with apologetic eyes.

"How dare you come in this room…you pussing sore!" Uriel said in righteous furry.

"Name-calling. That hurt my feelings… You sanctimonious, fanatical prick."

Alex slowly began to back away from the confrontation. When she reached Sam he slowly pulled her behind him, shielding her body with his own.

Dean saw Alastair performing what looked like an exorcism on Castiel. He looked around frantically for anything he could use as a weapon. All he could find was a crowbar. Swinging with all his might, he brought the crowbar down on Alastair. The demon just shook his head.

"Dean, Dean, Dean… I am so disappointed. You had such promise." He attacked Dean, throwing him into the wall. Sam started to move to assist his brother but was met with the same fate. Alex on the other hand moved towards Uriel. During the fight she noticed a necklace hanging from Uriel's neck that held a container full of some glowing substance. Grace.

She raced forward and ripped the necklace from the angel's neck. Uriel cried for her to stop, but she threw the necklace on the ground and began to chant. The grace swirled around her as the spell took effect. "Shut your eyes!"

Bright light filled the room as it engulfed Alex's body. The holy light forced Alastair and the demons holding Ruby to disappear. When the light subsided Alex stood unharmed in the center of the room.

Sam ran forward and pulled Alex to him. "Are you okay?" She nodded. "Did it work?"

"Ask them."

Everyone looked to the angels. Castiel confirmed the spell had worked. Alex was now beloved of Heaven. They could not touch her with their powers. Only a direct order from God to an archangel would allow Heaven to harm her.

"This isn't over," stated Uriel.

"Oh it looks over to me junkless," Dean replied.

The angels disappeared with the sound of rustling wings. Once it was clear they were gone, Alex let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding and leaned into Sam's protective embrace. She had to reassure him for a second time that she was fine.

Dean turned to Ruby. "What took you so long to get here?"

"Sorry I'm late with the demon delivery," she groaned as she struggled to her feet. "I was only being tortured."

"I got to hand it to you Sammy. Bringing them all together at once… angels and demons. It was a damn good plan."

"Yeah well," he replied, "when you got Godzilla and Mothra on your ass, best get out of their way and let them fight."

"Thank you, Ruby," Alex said. "The plan wouldn't have worked without you."

"Yeah no problem. Let's get out of here before they come back."

******

Sam sat on the hood of the Impala drinking his beer while Alex rested between his legs, leaning against him as she drank her own. Dean was leaning against the Impala near them. "I can't believe we made it out of there."

"Again," Sam countered as they all lifted bottles in a toast to one another.

Dean began staring at his feet as thoughts raged inside his head. "I know you heard him," he said.

"Who?"

"Alastair. What he said…about how I had promise." Sam confirmed that he had heard what the demon said. "I'm pretty sure Alex already knows what he's talking about, but aren't you curious Sam?"

"Dean, I'm damn curious. But you're not talking about Hell, and I'm not pushing."

"It wasn't four months, you know."

"What?"

"It was four months up here, but down there… I don't know. Time's different. It was more like 40 years."

Alex shut her eyes and let that sink in as she felt Sam tense behind her. It was true she did know all that had happened. She had seen it in Dean's eyes long ago, but she never mentioned anything. It was not her place to talk about it. Listening quietly, she held back her emotions as she listened to Dean describe the horrors he had experienced down below. The torture. The offer he was given at the end of each day.

"At the end of every day…every one… he would come over and he would make me an offer. To take me off the rack… if I put souls on… if I started the torturing. And every day, I told him to stick it where the sun shines. For 30 years, I told him. But then I couldn't do it anymore, Sammy. I couldn't. And I got off the rack." The pain in his voice was so palpable it caused Sam to hold onto Alex a bit tighter as he listened to his brother lay what was left of his soul bare. "God help me, I got right off it, and I started ripping them apart. I lost count of how many souls. The… the things that I did to them."

Sam swallowed against the lump in his throat. He could hear how broken his older brother had become. Dean had always been his hero, but hearing him speak like this tore him apart. "Dean… Dean, look, you held out for 30 years. That's longer than anyone would have."

Tears were now falling down Dean's face. "How I feel," his voice broke, "This… inside me… I wish I couldn't feel anything. I wish I couldn't feel a damn thing."

Alex stood up, causing Sam to release his hold on her shoulders. She moved around and came to stand in front of Dean. His downcast, tear filled eyes refused to move to meet her own. "Dean." He still did not move. Placing her hands on either side of her face, she slowly brought his face up until he was forced to meet her gaze. What he found there was not the judgment and disappointment he expected but love and understanding. "Dean Winchester," she began, "you are one of the strongest people I know, and you have nothing to be ashamed of. You turned Alastair down for a very long time. I for one could not be prouder." She gave Dean a weak smile which he slowly returned before she pulled him into a tight embrace, pulling some of the pain from his body.

Dean began to panic. There was no way he wanted Alex to take on any of this on herself. "It's okay Dean," she said softly into his ear as if she knew exactly what he was thinking. "I'm not taking it from you, just dulling it a bit."

The younger Winchester watched as his girlfriend embraced his brother and gave him much need physical comfort. As his eyes met Alex's, he saw a single tear roll down her cheek. It was in that moment that he decided something had to be done.

******

It wasn't hard for Sam to sneak out. The emotional roller coaster of a day caused both Dean and Alex to fall into a deep slumber as soon as their heads hit the pillow. He had waited patiently for an extra hour after they fell asleep just to be sure they wouldn't wake up.

The final component of the spell caused sparks to fly for a few seconds before the demon appeared.

"You must be joking," said Alastair as he watched Sam rise to his full height, extending a hand, and trapping the demon where he stood. "What? Planning on sending me back to Hell? Please do. It won't change anything. When we win and burn this world to the ground, we'll have your brother to thank for it." Sam looked at him quizzically. "The righteous man sheds blood in Hell…. It is all thanks to Dean."

To say that Sam was shocked to hear this would be an understatement. He was completely flabbergasted. He couldn't help but wonder if Dean knew. Maybe that's why he feels like he has to fix this. "It doesn't matter," he said. "You won't be around to see it."

"Send me back. They'll just send me right back up here."

"No. Now I can kill."

Alastair started to choke as Sam closed his outstretched hand into a tight fist. His eyes began to flash like burning fire. He began to spasm wildly until he finally went ridged and collapsed into a heap upon the ground. Sam stood over him and looked down upon what remained of the demon. "That was for my brother."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback welcome.


	31. Chapter 31

A bell mounted over the door gave a chime as the trio entered, dressed in their suits, fake badges at the ready. They strode over to the counter. The man behind it slowly looked up at them.

"Uh… can I help you?" he asked.

They all held up their badges. "Sure hope so," Dean began. "Agents DeYoung, Shay, and Gowan. Just need to ask you a few questions."

"Notice anything strange in the building, last couple of days?" Sam continued.

"Like what?" the man asked.

Alex jumped in, "Well, some other tenants reported flickering lights."

"Uh, I don't think so. Why?"

They continued asking questions about strange occurrences that might have been happening. The man started to become a bit skeptical of the whole thing. When the cold spots were mentioned his eyes began to light up.

"I knew it!" he exclaimed. "You guys are LARPing, aren't you?"

Alex lifted an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"You're fans."

"Fans of what?" Sam asked.

Dean quickly followed with, "What is LARPing?"

The man chuckled. "Like you don't know." The trio did their best to hide the confusion they felt. "Live-Action-Role-Play! And pretty hardcore, too. Especially considering the girl doesn't come in until halfway through."

They still had no idea what he was talking about as he continued on about a series of books called "Supernatural."

"Two guys, use fake IDs with rock aliases, hunt down ghosts, demons, vampires. What are their names? Uh… Steve and Dirk? Uh, Sal and Dane?"

"Sam and Dean?" Sam asked with apprehension.

"That's it!" he said in excitement.

"You're saying this is a book?" Dean asked.

"Books. It was a series. Didn't sell a lot of copies, though. Kind of had more of an underground cult following." The man came out from behind the counter and led them to a table marked "Bargin Bin". "Let's see. Um… Ah. Yeah." He pulled a book from the table and handed it to Dean. "That's the first one, I think."

They all gathered around the book. Alex almost snickered at the romance novel photo on the front. She could swear that the blond one was Fabio. Dear God! That is so not what they look like. Dean started to read the synopsis on the back. It rang with a truth that both startled and amazed the brothers.

"Give me that," Sam said as he grabbed the book and began to look it over. Looking up at the man he said, "We're gunna need all the copies of 'Supernatural' you've got."

******

The books where uncanny in their accuracy of events. The trio spent the better part of the day going through the pile of books about their lives. Whoever this Carver Edlund was, he knew a lot.

"This is freakin' insane," Dean said from his spot on the bed. "How's this guy know all this stuff?"

Alex shrugged while Sam said, "You got me."

"Everything is in here. I mean everything. From the racist truck to… to me having sex." Alex's head shot up from the book she was currently reading, eyes growing wide as she paled. She did not want him knowing everything she and his brother had been up too when he wasn't around. "I'm full-frontal in here, dude." Alex gulped. Dean noticed her expression. "Hey, you okay?"

"Fine," Alex replied quickly. Thank God he's not reading one about me and Sam.

Dean crossed to the table Sam and Alex were sitting at. "How come we haven't heard of them before?"

"They're pretty obscure," replied Sam as he stared at the information he found on his computer. "I mean, almost zero circulation. Uh, started in '05. The publisher put out a couple dozen before going bankrupt. And, uh, the last one 'No Rest For The Wicked,'" he turned the computer towards Dean, "ends with you going to Hell."

"I reiterate. Freaking insane."

"Agreed," Alex chirped. "He even knows what we are thinking at times. I don't know of a spell that can do that. It's easy enough to spy on someone, but reading their minds at a distance is something entirely different."

"Can't you read people's thoughts?" Sam asked.

"Yeah if I'm making solid eye contact, but nothing like this. I've never even heard of the guy."

Dean continued to browse the site Sam had found. "Check it out. There's actually fans. There's not many of them, but still. Did you read this?"

"Yeah."

"Although for fans, they sure do complain a lot. Listen to this. Simpatico says; 'the demon story like is trite, clichéd, and overall craptastic.' Yeah well screw you Simpatico we lived it. Another one says, 'Alex is probably the least believable character I have ever seen.'"

"Screw you," Alex said to the computer.

"Yeah. Well," Sam said, "keep on reading. It gets better."

"There are 'Sam girls,' and 'Dean girls.' Hey Alex, even you have fans." She just flipped him off and continued reading. "What's a 'slash fan?"

"As in… Sam-slash-Dean. Together."

Alex nearly choked on her drink of water.

"They do know we're brothers, right?"

"Doesn't seem to matter."

Placing a hand over her mouth, Alex swallowed her water. "I think I threw up a bit. We have got to find this guy."

"Yeah that might not be so easy," Sam said.

Dean asked, "Why not?"

"No tax records, no know address. Looks like 'Carver Edlund' is a pen name."

"Someone's got to know who he is."

******

Finding the publisher turned out to be a bit easier than they thought it would be. She was a young woman. She seemed pretty eager to talk to some fellow series enthusiasts, but she kept moving erratically as if she was nervous to meet them.

"So you published the 'Supernatural' books?" Sam asked.

The publisher gushed. "Yep. Yeah. Gosh. These books… You know, they never really got the attention they deserved."

While the woman spoke, Alex took a moment to examine her office. If she had to guess, they were an even less successful company than she thought, or this woman was completely obsessed with their lives. All of the books in the series were lined up neatly on a shelf.

Dean spoke up when the woman mentioned a desire to start publishing again. "No, no, no, no. God, no." Upon seeing her face he quickly tried to cover. "I mean, why…why would you want to do that? You know, it's, uh, such a complete series, what with Dean going to hell and all."

The publisher grabbed a tissue as her emotions began to bubble up from inside of her. "Oh, my god! That was one of my favorite ones, because Dean was so…strong…and sad and brave. And Sam and Alex… the way they clung to each other. I mean, the best parts are when they'd cry. You know, like in…in 'Croatoan' when he thought he might have to watch Dean kill her." She placed a hand on her heart and swooned as she leaned back in her chair. "If only real men were so open and in touch with their feelings."

"Real men?" Dean asked.

"I mean, no offense. How often do you cry like that, hmm?"

"Well right now I'm crying on the inside."

"Is that supposed to be funny?" She was obviously becoming suspicious. "How do I know you three are legit, hmm? I don't want any smart-ass article making fun of my boys."

"Oh no never!" Alex exclaimed. "I mean, who could make fun of them. When you think about it, how could they not feel so much with everything they've been through. " She knew she was laying it on thick, but it was becoming obvious that they were losing her and if she wasn't willing to help them… well, there was no way they would be able to get to the bottom of this. "We're big fans."

"Hmm. You've read the books?"

"Cover to cover," Dean said while the others nodded.

The woman looked them all over, unconvinced. "What's the year and model of the car?"

A proud smile formed on Dean's lips as he said, "It's a 1967 Chevy Impala."

"What's May 2nd?"

"That's my," Alex elbowed him in the side causing him to grunt, " Uh… that's Sam's birthday."

"January 24th is Dean's," Dean threw in.

"Sam's score on the LSAT?"

It took Sam a second to answer. 'How can she know that? I don't even really remember and it was my score!' he thought. "One… seventy-four?"

"What's the name of the song Sam and Alex danced to?"

Alex's cheeks grew pink as she answered. "'I Need You' by Tim McGraw Faith Hill"

Dean raised an eyebrow at her as she lowered her eyes to the floor in embarrassment while Sam just smiled at the memory. The publisher however, finally seemed satisfied with their answers.

"Okay. What do you want to know?"

"What's Carver Edlund's real name?" Sam asked in haste.

"Oh, no. I... No. Sorry, I can't do that."

"We just want to talk to him. You know, get the 'Supernatural' story in his own words.

"He's very private. It's like Salinger."

Sam knew they were losing her. "Please. Like I said… we, are um…" he cringed a little as he started to unbutton his shirt to reveal his tattoo, "big…big fans."

Dean rolled his eyes as Sam and Alex gave him a pointed look. Begrudgingly he pulled down his shirt to display his own tattoo. The publisher licked her lips at the sight causing Alex's blood to boil when she noticed her looking at Sam a little longer than she needed to.

"Awesome," she said a bit breathlessly. "You know what?" she turned around and hiked up her skirt to show them her own. "I got one, too."

"Whoa, you are a fan." Dean said as he admired the view.

"Okay." She pulled out a piece of paper and began writing something on it. "His name's Chuck Shurley. And he's a genius, so don't piss him off."

******

Not a word was spoken as they got out of the car. They all exchanged glances as they looked up at the run down old house before walking up to the door. Dean looked at the others one move time before pressing the doorbell.

The door slowly opened to reveal a scruffy looking man in a bathrobe.

"You Chuck Shurley?" Dean asked.

"The Chuck Shurley who wrote the 'Supernatural' books?" Sam followed.

He looked at the hunters, nervousness in his eyes. "Maybe. Why?"

"I'm Alex," she said. "This is Sam and that's Dean. We're the ones you've been writing about."

Chuck closed the door in their faces. The hunters looked at each other. Dean furrowed his brow and rang the doorbell again.

The door opened again. "Look, uh… I appreciate your enthusiasm," Chuck said. "Really I do. It's uh, it's always nice to hear from the fans. But, uh, for your own good, I strongly suggest you get a life." He tried to shut the door again, but Dean reached out a hand to stop him.

"See here's the thing," he said. "We have a life. You've been using it to write your books." He forced his way through the door and into the pigsty of a house.

"Now, wait a minute. Now, this isn't funny," Chuck said as he backed up. The fear was building inside of him with each step the trio took towards him.

"Damn straight it's not funny," bellowed Dean.

Alex could feel the tension building in the room. "Look," she said, "we just want to know how you're doing it. That's all." She did her best to sound friendly and reassuring, but the writer still looked understandably terrified.

"I'm not doing anything."

"Are you a hunter?" Dean took another step towards him, but Alex placed her hand gently on his shoulder to stop his forward progress.

"What? No." Chuck's panic was starting to creep into his voice. "I'm a writer."

"Then how do you know so much about demons?" Dean advanced on Chuck again, causing the frightened man to fall onto the couch. Alex stepped between them and placed both of her hands on Dean's chest to stop his progress.

"Is this some kind of 'Misery' thing?" Chuck asked. His mind took over as he seemed to answer his own question. "Ah, it is, isn't it? It's a 'Misery' thing!"

"No it's not a 'Misery' thing. Believe me, we are not fans!"

Alex kept trying to calm Dean while Chuck asked what they wanted. Sam stepped forward.

"I'm Sam. This is Dean, and that's my girlfriend Alex," Sam said as he gestured to his companions.

"They are fictional characters," Chuck said. "I made them up! They're not real!"

By this point it was obvious that they were getting nowhere with the man. He was convinced that they were just crazed fans. So Alex suggested they prove it to him by showing him the trunk of the car. She gently took his hand, using her powers to ease his mind so he would follow, and they took him outside. Dean opened the trunk of the Impala, displaying the arsenal inside. Chuck's eyes grew wide in surprise.

"Are those real guns?" he asked.

"Yep," Dean said simply and began to gesture to some of the other features. "This is real rock salt, these are real fake IDs."

"Well, I got to hand it to you guys," Chuck said as he looked around anxiously. "You really are my number one fans." Alex rolled her eyes. "That's, that's awesome. So, I… I think I've got some posters in the house."

He turned and quickly started to walk back towards the house. Dean stopped him.

"Chuck stop."

"Please. Wait. Please, don't hurt me."

"We aren't going to hurt you," Alex said as she did her best to put him at ease.

"How much do you know?" Sam asked him. "Do you know about the angels? Or Lilith breaking the seals?"

This seemed to snap Chuck out of his stupor. "Wait a minute," he asked. "How do you know about that?"

"The question is how do you?" Dean countered.

"Because I wrote it?"

Alex took a step forward in anticipation. "You kept writing?"

"Yeah, even after the publisher went bankrupt, but those books never came out." He looked between them for a minute until a small smile began to form on his face. "Okay wait a minute. This is some kind of joke, right? Did that," he snickered, "Did Phil put you up to this?"

"Well, nice to meet you. I'm Dean Winchester, and this is my brother, Sam and our friend Alex."

His eyes grew wide. "The brother's last names were never in the books. I never told anybody about that. I never even wrote that down." He looked at them all expectantly. Then his eyes landed on Alex. "That means you… you're…"

She looked up at the sky as storm clouds suddenly started to gather. "A witch," she finished for him. He jumped at the sound of a thunder clap. "Yeah I am." The clouds went away. Chuck looked at them all again and gulped.

******

Chuck poured himself a large whisky and downed it in one gulp. Sitting the glass down on the kitchen sink, he turned to see the three hunters still standing there and groaned.

"Oh! Oh, you're still there."

"Yup," said Dean.

"You're not a hallucination."

"Nope."

"Well, there's only one explanation." Alex raised her eyebrows at the thought of finally having an answer. "Obviously I'm a god."

"I highly doubt that," Alex said with a sigh.

"How else do you explain it? I write things and then they come to life. Yeah, No, I'm definitely a god. A cruel, cruel, capricious god. The things I put you through… The physical beatings alone."

Dean shrugged. "Yeah, we're still in one piece."

Chuck began to think about all of the stories he had written about the Winchesters over the years. They ran through his mind, causing him unmeasurable guilt with the thought he had caused them.

"I killed your father," he said. "I burned your mother alive. And then you had to go through the whole horrific deal again with Jessica." His eyes turned to Alex. "I killed your mother, and I made you watch the love of your life die right in front of you."

Sam called his name and drew his attention. "We think you're probably just psychic."

Chuck shook his head. "No. If I were psychic, you think I'd be writing? Writing is hard."

"It seems that somehow you're just…focused on our lives."

"Yeah, like laser-focused," Dean interjected. "Are you working on anything right now?"

His eyes grew wide for a second before closing in resignation. It was all just too much. "Holy crap." The pages were right in front of him on the table. Leaning forward, he picked them up before continuing. "The, uh, latest book? It's, uh, it's kind of weird." Alex asked him what he meant. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he slowly handed her the pages as he spoke. "I wrote myself into it. I wrote myself, at my house… confronted by my characters."

She looked down at the pages and began thumbing through them. "You have got to be kidding me."

******

The laundromat was more or less deserted, so Dean thought it was safe for them to look through the pages Chuck gave them. He sat reading while Alex and Sam washed clothing. The more Dean read the more frustrated he became.

"I'm sitting in a laundromat, reading about myself sitting in a laundromat reading about myself. My head hurts."

"What have I told you about trying to think Dean?" Alex said with a teasing smile. "Best leave that to me and Sam."

Sam chuckled a little when he saw the look on Dean's face. "There's got to be something this guy's not telling us." He went to put another load of laundry into the machine.

Annoyed with the teasing, Dean looked back to the pages and began to read aloud to his companions.

"Sam tossed his gigantic darks into the machine." he read. "He was starting to have doubts about Chuck, about whether he was telling the whole truth."

"Stop it," the younger Winchester said.

" 'Stop it,' Sam said." He looked up at his brother. "Guess what you do next."

Sam sighed and turned his back to the others. Alex did her best to hold in laughter. Watching the brothers bicker always gave her a certain amount of joy. The laughter died on her lips when she saw Sam bend over to put his clothes in the washer. 'Good thing Dean can't see me,' she thought.

Dean looked back down at the manuscript. "You just thought I was a dick."

Sam turned around, a look of surprise on his face. "The guy's good."

"And you were just checking out my brother's ass," Dean said as he looked over his shoulder at Alex, who stood folding laundry at a table.

Alex turned red at having been caught. What made it worse was the fact that she was caught without anyone actually seeing her. Shyly, she raised her eyes to Sam's. He gave her a small smile before turning back around and deliberately bending over a bit farther than necessary to give her a better view.

******

Chuck lay dozing at his desk, a nearly empty bottle beside him. Intense flashes started to dance behind his eyelids. Flashes of Sam alone in a motel room with a beautiful blonde woman with white eyes. He awoke in a sudden panic. He quickly set to typing what he had just seen, but not before calling his favorite "fictional" characters.

When Chuck told the hunters he'd written another chapter, they wasted no time in arriving at his home. Little was said when he answered the door. He just led them into the living room, muttering about how things were easier before they were real. The longer the pause lasted, the more uneasy everyone became.

"We can take it Chuck," Alex said with as much conviction as she could muster. Although if she was being honest with herself she was not entirely certain what she said was true. "Just spit it out."

He looked around the room at all of the hunters before resting his gaze on her. "You especially are not gunna like this."

"I didn't like Hell," Dean quipped.

"It's Lilith," he said. "She's coming for Sam."

"Coming to kill him?" "When?" Alex and Sam asked in unison.

"Tonight."

"She's just gunna show up?" Dean asked. "Here?"

Chuck's knees were shaking so bad that they could no longer support him. Taking a seat, he put on his glasses. "Uh… let's see, uh." He began to read, "Lilith patted the bed seductively. Unable to deny his desire, Sam succumbed, and they sank into the throes of fiery demonic passion."

Alex's eyebrows nearly shot off of her head. She paused for a second before bursting into outrageous laughter. Sam soon joined in, only not nearly as hysterical.

"You think this is funny?" Dean asked.

"Hell yes," Alex replied as she tried to compose herself and brushed the tears from her face.

"You don't?" Sam countered. I mean, come on. 'Fiery demonic passion'?"

"It's just a first draft," Chuck replied self-consciously.

"Come on Dean," Alex said. "There is no way Sam would sleep with a demon. Sure he's done some pretty stupid stuff in the past, but this is a whole new level." She saw the writer slowly collapsing in on himself. "No offense Chuck." He smiled at her. "Besides, Lilith is a little girl."

"No," Chuck interrupted, "uh, this time she's a 'comely dental hygienist from Bloomington, Indiana.' "

Dean was getting frustrated, again. "Great. Perfect. So what happens after the… 'fiery demonic' whatever?"

"I don't know. It hasn't come to me yet."

"Dean, look," Sam said. "There's nothing to worry about. Lilith and me? In bed? Don't you think it would be a little crowded?" He gestured towards Alex.

The thought of what his brother and the girl he thought of as his little sister got up to when he wasn't around suddenly made Dean very uncomfortable. He swallowed and cleared his throat before asking Chuck how his whole "psychic thing" worked.

He quickly explained about the terrible headaches he got, and how drinking until he fell asleep was the only thing that would get rid of them. Apparently everything he ever wrote came to him as some sort of dream. "It flowed," he said. "It just, it kept flowing. It still does. I-I can't stop it, really."

Sam didn't believe a word of it. "You can't seriously believe..."

"Humor me," Dean said, cutting his brother off. He stood and took the pages that Chuck held out to him. "Look, why don't we, we just… take a look at these and see what's what." The other's nodded their heads in agreement. Dean turned his attention to Chuck who was still sitting on the couch. "You…"

"…knew you were gunna ask for that? Yeah."

******

As Sam finished another page he passed it to Alex in the back seat of the Impala while Dean drove them towards the town line. The more he read, the more ridiculous everything began to sound.

"Dean, come on," he said. When there was no response he proceeded to read aloud from the page in front of him.

"The minivan accident wasn't that bad, but Dean was still seeing stars. He scratched absently at the pink flower Band-Aids on his face."

Alex stopped her reading and looked up as he finished and reached for the page to read it herself.

"So?" Dean asked.

"So, I've seen you gushing blood. You'd use duct tape and bar rags before you'd put on a pink flower Band-Aid."

Alex chimed in, "He's got a point Dean. I don't think our first aid kit even has Band-Aids in it. We're more likely to stitch each other up than to use one of those." She started waiving the page around. "It's completely nuts.

"He's been right about everything so far," said Dean. "You think he's just gunna ground out at first now?"

"Okay then listen to this." Alex began reading. "Dean slid behind the wheel of his beloved Impala and drove off, the plastic tarp on the rear window flapping like the wings of a crow."

"A tarp?"

Sam answered, "Yeah. On the rear window. And you drive it like that."

"Well, he might be wrong about the details, but doesn't mean he's wrong about the end result."

"So we're just gunna run?"

"Dude, we are a long way from ready for a face-to-face death match with Lilith, even with both you and Alex working some sort of mojo."

They pulled up to a roadblock and came to a complete stop. A deputy approached them and leaned over to talk to Dean through the rolled down window.

"What seems to be the problem?" Dean asked.

"Bridge is out ahead."

"We're just trying to get out of town."

"Yeah, afraid not."

"Is there a detour?"

"Nope."

Dean continued to ask probing questions in hopes of finding a way out of town. With each question he was shot down until it looked as if the trio had no choice but to spend the night in town. Once Dean had finally given up, he turned the car around and headed for the dinner he saw a little ways back. He was hungry, and besides, some pie would go a long way to improve his mood.

******

It was a quint little mom and pop kind of place. Something about it made Alex think of "Cheers." The waitress was calling all of the locals by name and seemed to know what they wanted to order before even walking up to them. Instead of looking over the menu, Dean started looking through the pages again in hopes of finding more clues.

"Hey, this could be a good thing," he said. "I mean, if this is what puts us on the path to Lilith, then all we got to do is get off the path."

"How do you mean?" Sam asked.

"It's a blueprint of what not to do. I mean, if the pages say that we go left…"

"Then we go right," Alex finished.

"Exactly. We get off-book. We never make it to the end. It's opposite day. It says that we, uh, we get into a fight. So, no fighting. No research for you." He points to Sam.

"And no bacon cheeseburger for you," Alex finished.

That took the wind out of Dean's sails. He tried to play it off as if it was no big deal, but it was obvious that he was disappointed. That only became more obvious when the waitress told him how good they were. It was all Alex and Sam could do not to start laughing when he ordered the veggie tofu burger instead. If there was one thing they knew about Dean, it was how little he really wanted to eat it.

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Sam. "This whole thing's ridiculous."

"Lilith is ridiculous?" Dean asked.

"The idea of me hooking up with her is."

"I'd have to agree," she chirped. "Sam may have snuck around and spent time training with Ruby in the past, but there is no way he would sleep with one."

"Dean," Sam continued, "for the first time, we have warning that Lilith is close."

"So?" countered the older Winchester.

"So… we've got the jump on her. If we know when she's coming, we know where she's," he took a deep breath to calm himself, "this is an opportunity."

"Are you," Dean began. He was stopped by a harsh kick to the shin by Alex, reminding him that the boys were not to fight. "It frustrates me when you say such reckless things."

"Well, it frustrates me when you'd rather hide than fight."

Alex was about to jump in and stop the fight from escalating by the waitress arriving with their orders. They all started eating, the fight averted for the time being.

Dean's eyes widened in surprise as he sank his teeth into his tofu veggie burger. A moan of absolute bliss passed his lips as he chewed. "Oh my god. This is delicious. Tofu is amazing!"

The waitress was all flustered when she approached them again. "I'm so sorry," she said. "I gave you the bacon cheeseburger by mistake."

They all looked at each other as Alex swallowed a bite of her food. "Maybe going off book won't be as easy as we thought."

******

Toreador Motel was a sleazy-looking little spot near the edge of town. They had stayed in some pretty crappy hotels, but this one took the cake.

Alex looked around with wide eyes as she asked, "We're staying here?"

"Yeah," Dean replied.

"Dude this place charges by the hour." Sam agreed with Alex. This place was pretty low rent even for them.

Dean started grabbing bags out of the trunk and tossing them at the others. "Yeah, well, the book says Lilith finds you at the Red Motel. Hence the uh, hooker inn. It's opposite day, remember?"

"Yeah but," Alex began, "couldn't we just stay at the Motel 6 for once or something?" Dean threw the duffel at her with a bit more force than necessary, causing her to grunt as she caught it.

Nothing more was said until they entered their room. As soon as he dropped his bag on the bed, Dean pulled out several hex bags and started putting them around the room.

"What are you doing?" Sam asked.

"Couple of hex bags ought to Lilith-proof the room."

"So what? I'm supposed to just hole up here all night?"

"That's exactly what you're gunna do, okay? And no research." Sam started to protest, his rebuttal never taking shape. "I don't care what you do. Use the Magic Fingers or watch Casa Erotica on Pay-Per-View."

"He won't need that," Alex said as she wrapped her arms around Sam's waist.

"Oh no you don't," Dean continued. "The book says you two have a heart to heart about you talking in people's heads."

Alex was shocked. "I'm what?" She looked back and forth between the brothers. "I had no idea."

"You mean you didn't try to do that when the angels came for you?"

"No. I… you heard me in your head?"

Dean stopped them from continuing their conversation. "All right, you're coming with me." Grabbing Alex's arm, he started to move her towards the door.

"Oh, dude, come on," Sam tried again to stop Dean from ruining what could be some much needed quality time for himself and his girlfriend. If his brother heard him, he showed no signs of it.

"Grab his laptop," Dean ordered Alex. "Just call it a little insurance."

Alex was starting to get a little frustrated. She pulled her arm from Dean's grasp before picking up Sam's laptop. "What are you gunna do?"

"Well, the pages say that I spend all day riding around in the Impala. So I'm gunna go park her. Behave yourself, would you? No homework. Watch some porn." He smiled, pleased with himself before telling Alex to get the lead out. She gave Sam an apologetic look before telling him she loved him and heading to the car.

******

He waited half an hour after Dean and Alex left before he called Chuck. Ever since hearing that the author was still at work, he was curious just how much he knew. If he knew how Sam was getting stronger, it's possible that Alex knew as well.

She had a lot of powers. Some she apparently didn't even realize she had. He knew she wasn't completely blind to what he had been doing. Shortly after the angels, she told him they were stronger together than they were apart. That combined with the things she said to him in his mind cause him to cut ties with Ruby just a few days ago.

Killing Alastair had felt amazing. The power was exhilarating, but the price was becoming too much. He knew if his brother or Alex ever discovered his secret it would be the end.

A knocking on the door broke Sam from his thoughts. Relief filled him when he opened the door and saw the author standing there.

"You wanted to see me?" Chuck asked.

"Yeah." Opening the door wider, Sam ushered him inside. "Thanks for coming."

"Ah, sure."

There was no easy way to start the conversation, so after a pregnant pause, Sam jumped in. "Um… I was just wondering how much you know about me."

"What do you mean?"

"Have you seen visions of me when I'm not with Alex and Dean?"

It was suddenly clear. "Oh… You want it know if I know about the demon blood." Sam released a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

"You didn't tell Dean and Alex."

"I didn't even write it into the books. I was afraid it would make you look unsympathetic." Sam repeated the word as a question. "Yeah, come on Sam. I mean, sucking blood? You got to know that's wrong."

As the conversation continued, Chuck started to wonder what the real purpose for their meeting was. The more Sam talked, the more he began to sound like he was actually seeking justification for his actions. He claimed he was trying to stop the apocalypse, even though the angels declared it Dean's task. He decided to offer some insight.

"Maybe the demon blood makes you feel stronger? More in control?"

"No. That's not true," Sam replied.

"I'm sorry, Sam. I know it's a terrible burden – feeling that it all rests on your shoulders, especially with Alex's powers growing all the time."

"Does it? All rest on my shoulders?"

He paused for a moment. "That seems to be where the story's heading."

Sam stilled himself. His next question was one he was afraid to hear the answer to. Taking a deep breath, he braced himself before asking the question, "Am I strong enough to stop Lilith tonight?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen that far yet."

******

The last two hours had been some of the most boring of Alex's life. She literally just walked around the one small park in town and read the pages trying to find clues as to what was really going on. When Dean called her to say that he was picking her up the agitation in his voice did not go amiss. Something was definitely grating on him, and she was in no hurry to find out why.

A flapping sound accompanied the roar of the Impala's engine when it reached her ears. Turning, her eyes went wide when she saw the tarp flapping across the back windshield. The words on the pages in her hand suddenly came back to her. Shit!

Slowly, Alex made her way around the front of the Impala and with trepidation opened the passenger door. She was fully seated before looking over at Dean. When she saw the floral Band-Aids from Chuck's manuscript she swallowed. This is not good.

"What happened?" she asked.

"You know what happened?!" Dean barked before slamming on the accelerator.

The force threw Alex back in her seat. "Where are we going?"

"To see Chuck."

******

Chuck struggled to maintain his grip on his brown bag and six-pack as he unlocked the door. After his talk with Sam, all he wanted to do was drink himself into a nice long slumber. There was absolute silence in the house. He watched his feet while he shuffled into the living room. When he looked up he found two people sitting quietly on his couch, arms crossed waiting for him.

"Alex. Dean."

"I take it you knew I'd be here," Dean said.

"You look terrible."

"That's 'cause I just got hit by a minivan, Chuck."

"Oh."

Alex was surprise by the authors less than concerned response.

"Oh?" she asked. Her voice was surprisingly calm. "Everything you write about us seems to come true no matter what we do to avoid it and all you have to say is oh?"

Chuck looked down sheepishly.

"Why do I get the feeling there's something that you're not telling us?" Dean asked.

"What wouldn't I be telling you?"

"How do you know what you know for starters would be nice," said Alex.

"I don't know how I know," he proclaimed. "I just do!"

Dean advanced on Chuck, a menacing look on his face. "That's not good enough." He shoved the author up against the wall. "How the hell are you doing this?!"

"Dean!" Alex moved from her spot on the couch and tried to pry Dean away from the terrified smaller man.

A small rustling sound could be heard before Castiel appeared on the opposite side of Dean, telling him to let Chuck go. The hunter took a deep breath and slowly released his grip, allowing Chuck to slide back down the wall.

"This man is to be protected," said Castiel.

They all looked at the angel with curiosity. Dean was the first to speak.

"Why?"

"He's a Prophet of the Lord."

Alex's eyebrows rose in surprise. At what point am I going to stop being surprised by this shit, she thought.

"You… You're Castiel… aren't you?" Chuck stammered.

"It's an honor to meet you, Chuck. I," he paused as he searched for the words, "admire your work." Castiel picked one of the Supernatural books up from the shelf next to him and started flipping through the pages.

Castiel's revelation was still sinking in for Dean. "Whoa, whoa, what?" he asked. "This guy, a prophet? Come on, he's… he's practically a Penthouse Forum writher." He paused in his rant to look at Chuck. "Did you know about this?" he asked as he pointed to Castiel, still looking through the book.

The writer stumbled over to his armchair and opened a bottle of whisky. Slowly he poured himself a glass before glancing up at Dean. "I, uh, I might have dreamt about it."

Alex jumped in, "And you didn't think that little detail would be good for us to know?"

"It was too preposterous. Not to mention arrogant," Chuck replied. "I mean, writing yourself into the story is one thing, but as a prophet? That's like M. Night level douchiness." He quickly finished his glass and started another.

Dean turned to Castiel. He needed answers and fast. "This is the guy who decides our fate?" he asked.

The angel paused in his perusing and looked at the elder Winchester. "He isn't deciding anything. He's a mouthpiece - a conduit for the inspired word."

Alex stood frozen in place. Surely she had heard him wrong.

"The word? The word of God? What, like the new new testament?"

"One day," Castiel continued, "these books – they'll be known as the Winchester gospel."

The other occupants of the room responded in unison. "You got to be kidding me."

"I am not… kidding you."

Chuck grabbed his bottle and quietly excused himself from the room. The hunters watched him retreat before turning back to the angel before them.

"Him? Really?" Dean asked.

"You should've seen Luke."

"Why'd he get tapped?"

"I don't know how prophets are chosen. The order comes from high up on the celestial chain of command.

Alex's brows knit in confusion. "How high?"

"Very."

She let out a sigh. "Okay, so how do we stop all of this Sam-Lilith bullshit?"

"What the prophet has written can't be unwritten. As he has seen it, so it shall come to pass."

Alex closed the small amount of space between herself and Castiel. "What he wrote is impossible!" she yelled in his face. Dean heard a distant rumble of thunder and grabbed Alex's arm to pull her away from Cas before her temper got out of hand. "Sam would never sleep with a demon for one," Dean tried to pull her away again, but she just ripped her arm from his grasp, "and second he would never be stupid enough to try and take on a demon by himself!"

The angel did not blink as he stared down at the female hunter.

"That may have been true in the past," he began. "However after Alistair his confidence has grown greatly."

Alex took a step back. "Alistair?"

"After his attack on you both, he summoned Alistair and used his power to kill him."

Both hunters paused as what they heard sank in.

"That's impossible," said Alex.

"There is no way Sam is that powerful," Dean finished.

"His powers have grown," Cas said with a sigh. "We still aren't sure how, but he has become far more powerful than we thought possible."

******

The ride back to the hotel was done in complete silence. Neither Dean nor Alex wished to share their thoughts on Castiel's revelation about Sam. They were both shocked yes, but it went deeper than that. There was a fear, a fear of what he was becoming.

As they turned the corner, the sign for the motel came into view. Alex's eyes grew wide as a feeling of dread formed in the pit of her stomach.

"Dean…"

"Yeah, I see it."

The tires squealed as he peeled into the parking lot, just missing the pole on the sign with several burnt out letters that now read "RE D MOTEL."

A small amount of relief washed over Alex when she saw Sam alone and completely unharmed. The feeling was short lived however when she realized the lack of another feeling in the room. She turned and looked around the room in an almost panic.

"Where are the hex bags?" she asked.

Sam stood tall and proud. "I burned them."

"You what?!"

"It doesn't matter," Dean interjected. "We're getting out of here."

"No we're not," retorted his brother. "Look, if Lilith is coming, which is a big if..."

"No, no, no. It's more than an if. Chuck is not a psychic. He's a prophet."

"What?"

"Cas," was Alex's only reply.

Dean went around the room throwing things in duffel, insisting that they leave immediately. Staying to fight was not an option in his eyes. The only thing left for them to do was run. Lilith was coming, and there was no way of stopping it.

No matter how much Sam heard, he refused to leave. His mind was made up. He would stand and face Lilith. He would kill her or die trying.

His stubbornness so enraged his brother that Dean threw his bag down and stormed out. Alex turned to Sam.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm ending this."

She shook her head and closed the space between them.

"No you're not Sam. I know you think you can kill Lilith, but you're not that powerful." He opened his mouth to protest, but she continued. "I know about Alistair."

His eyes grew wide, "Wha… How?"

Her only reply was "Cas." His face fell, eyes darting all around the room until they finally landed on Alex's face. It was completely blank. There was no judgment, no disappointment, no anything. "I'm not mad Sam." He gulped. "I'm glad his gone. I'm just scared for you." The mask finally fell away revealing pain and worry.

Sam placed his hands on Alex's shoulders. "You don't have to worry about me. I'm stronger now. I can do this."

"It's not just that," she started shaking her head. "You're changing Sam." Stepping out of his reach, she turned her back to him. "You know how I can look at someone and tell that they're a demon?"

"Yeah."

"It's… it's like the space around them goes dark. Sometimes it's just the slightest hint of on outline. Others, when it's a real big bad, they… they pull all the light out of the space around them, and there's just nothing." She slowly turned back to him. "That's what I see happening to you." Sam stared at her, mouth agape. "I've tried to ignore it. Told myself it was just a trick of light making me think the outline was there, but when I look at you now. There is more than just an outline. What did you do Sam?"

He didn't respond right away. A sigh escaped his lips as he placed his hands on his hips. "Alex, you don't have to worry about me. I've got this under control."

"Like hell you do!" she screamed, all composure lost. "Your soul is fucking changing Sam! What are you doing to gain the kind of power it takes to kill a demon with your mind? I can't even do that and I'm the fucking Mayfair for God's sake!"

"Hey! It's not my fault you don't have guts to use what you were born with to ice Lilith alright!" She recoiled as if he had slapped her. Realizing his mistake he reached out and took a step towards her. "Alex..." he began, but stopped when she pulled back even further.

"I can't do this," Alex said spun on her heal and walked out the door, leaving Sam to contemplate all he had said and done.

******

Running was usually Alex's preferred from of blowing off steam when outdoors. However, her hasty decision to leave Sam on his own had left her in combat boots so the only way she was running was if a life depended on it.

'Maybe leaving wasn't the best idea,' she thought.

It had been almost an hour since she left. She didn't know exactly how far she had walked from the motel, but her legs were starting to tire.

Everything she said to Sam was true. She was worried about him. How he was strengthening his powers was beyond her, but whatever he was doing was fundamentally changing him. That's what scared her the most.

The ringing of her phone broke her from her thoughts.

"Dean?"

"Are you still with Sam?"

"No. Are you in the car?"

"Yeah I've got Chuck. We have a plan."

As she listened to the plan, she turned back towards the hotel. Her feet started carrying her faster and faster until she was all out sprinting towards Sam.

******

Sam sat on the bed, fidgeting with his fingers when he heard a knock on the door. Taking a deep breath, he slowly walked to the door and carefully turned the knob. Nobody was there. He shut the door and turned around to find a beautiful blonde woman standing in front of him.

"Hello, Sam," she said.

"I've been waiting for you."

Her eyes rolled and turned white momentarily before slowly returning to normal. "Where's the knife, Sam?"

"On the nightstand. By the bed."

Lilith turned and began walking towards the bed. Just as her feet reached the edge of the decorative rug on the floor she stopped. She lifted it and reviled the Devil's Trap underneath. She rolled her eyes at the outlandishness of such a simple trick working on her before touching the edge with her finger and burning it away.

"You're gunna have to try a lot harder than that. Is this the point where your little girlfriend comes out and traps me in one made of light?"

"No. She's not here. How about this?"

Sam extended his hand towards her and concentrated. A wind rose steadily around her and blew her hair back, but that was all. Panting, he lowered his arm and gapped at her in wonder.

"You're strong," said Lilith. "But you're not that strong. Not yet. Alexandra hasn't even gained that particular talent where I'm concerned."

"So why don't you throw me around then?"

"Because I can't. Last time the Mayfair protected you. Now, your own power means you're immune to my charms. Seems we're at a stalemate."

"Why are you here?"

"To talk."

Sam scoffed. "Yeah, well. I'm not interested."

He turned his back to her

"Hmm… even if I'm offering to stand down?" Sam paused. "From the seals… the apocalypse… all of it? You know the prophecy. It's coming true. Alexandra will accept her birthright. I'm offering you the chance to save her."

Now she had Sam's full attention, and she knew it. A small smile played on her lips when he turned back to her. She had him. There was nothing Sam wouldn't do for Alex, and she knew it.

"And what do you want in return?"

"Your head on a stick. Dean's too. Call it a consolation prize. So what do you say Sam? Self-sacrifice is the Winchester way, isn't it?"

It was ridiculous. There was no way it could be that simple. Sam knew that. Nothing was as it seemed with Lilith. She reminded them that she would have to follow through on any deal that she made, but something still didn't fell right. She told him she wouldn't survive the apocalypse as a motive for stopping the whole thing, but it did not sway the hunter. Even when she mentioned the 6 billion people he would save he hesitated, but when she called Sam a man after her own heart he lost it.

"You think I'm like you? I am nothing like you."

"Then prove it," she challenged. "Going once." She turned and walked to the bed. "Going twice."

"Fine," he bellowed.

She turned back towards him. "Swell. By the way, a contract with me will take more than a kiss." She sat on the bed and patted it seductively. "A lot more. Don't worry. The dental hygienist in here? She wants it bad."

Sam steeled himself before approaching the demon on his bed. Lilith ran her hand up his leg as her eyes turned white. Grabbing his collar, she began pulling him down on top of her. Slowly, they became closer and closer. Sam's eyes never wavered from her own.

Acting quickly, he reached out and grabbed the knife beside the bed and prepared to strike. Lilith saw the attack coming and countered. Flipping him over, she grabbed the knife from him and raised it, prepared to plunge it into his chest.

The door burst open as Alex barreled through it, followed closely by Dean and Chuck.

"I am the prophet Chuck!" said the writer in obvious unease.

"You've got to be joking," Lilith replied as she moved away from Sam.

Alex shoved her out of the way, never slowing her sprint towards Sam.

"Are you okay?" she asked once she reached his side, pushing Lilith out of the way. He assured her he was fine, but she was not satisfied with his word on the matter. She started checking him for any sign of injury. Finding none, she wrapped him in her arms. "You are such an idiot."

"I know."

The lovers were so wrapped up in their own moment that they did not notice the showdown behind them until the room began to shake. White light started to pour through the windows as the shaking intensified. Lilith turned her gaze back to Sam and was met with the rage filled eyes of a very powerful witch that was prepared to unleash her own form of Heavenly wrath on the demon.

Admitting her defeat, her head tilted back in a scream as smoke poured from the now empty vessel.

******

The trio left town as soon as they could manage to gather their things and deliver "the prophet Chuck" back to his home. Sam filled them in on the deal Lilith had offered. It was undeniably generous. Alex was actually shocked by what the demon had to offer.

"You didn't think once about taking it?" Dean asked.

"Only for a second," he confessed. "When she mentioned saving Alex." He looked over his shoulder and locked eyes with the beauty in the back seat giving him a weak smile of gratitude. "Besides, she would have found some way to weasel out of it."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"She at least told the truth about one thing," Alex said.

Dean asked, "What's that?"

"She's not gunna survive the apocalypse. I'll make sure of that."

******

Chuck lay sleeping on his couch, empty bottles resting around him. His eyes flutter wildly behind his eyes as flashes appear before them.

'Lilith laughed in Sam's face.

Alex slowly raised her head. An unnatural calmness settled over her as she opened her eyes, glowing a terrifying amber gold.

A white light shot up from the floor, racing towards the sky.'

Chuck bolted up right, gasping for breath at the images he had just seen.

"Did you see it?"

The author jumped at the unexpected voice. He turned his attention to a man in a suit resting comfortably in the chair beside him.

"Who are you?

"I'm Zachariah. You may know me from your work."

"What do you want?" Chuck asked in apprehension.

The angel repeated his earlier questing. Chuck nodded.

"Is it true? Is all of that… really going to happen?"

"Have you been wrong so far?"

Chuck rose from the couch and headed for the door. "I've got to warn them."

"I wouldn't advise it," cautioned the angel. "People shouldn't know too much about their own destiny. You try… and I'll stop you." Chuck changed his course and moved to ascend the stairs. "Where are you going?"

"To kill myself." He replied.

Zachariah chuckled. "Don't be melodramatic, Chuck. We'd only bring you back to life."

"What am I supposed to do?"

"What you always do. Write?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment and let me know what you think.


	32. Chapter 32

After the near miss with Lilith, Alex could not help but notice just how jittery Sam was. He kept rubbing his hands as they shook ever so slightly. The dark space of his aura was becoming more gray than black. Alex was grateful for that. Whatever Sam had been doing was no longer a problem, but as far as she could tell there was still a problem of some sort.

Dean noticed it too. While he did not know about the talk his brother and Alex had the night Lilith came for him, he knew his brother well enough to know when his head was not in the game. Sam was distracted.

Following demonic activity was the only real way they had of tracking Lilith since Sam cut ties with Ruby. That's what led them to the old abandoned warehouse in Maine. It was quite inside. The only sound was that of their breathing.

Alex looked at Sam from the corner of her eye and noticed the way he clenched and unclenched his hand around the pistol he held. After nearly an hour of lurking, their search yielded nothing. Dean sighed and lowered the flashlight he was using to lead their way through the darkness.

"There's nothing here."

Ten demons suddenly attacked from above. The hunters began to fight for all they were worth. Dean and Alex were holding their own. She kept trying to get a lock on them to use her magic, but it proved too hard for her to concentrate and fend on the incoming attacks. Dean used the knife to kill as many as he could get his hands on.

While the demons had greater numbers, the hunters were not going down without a fight. A blonde demon tried to sneak up on Alex, but Sam kicked her out of the way. She gave a wicked smile before advancing on the younger Winchester. Sam held out his hand towards her. The demon froze as panic over took her for a moment or two before she realized nothing was happening. He was unable to exorcise her.

"Guess your Wonder Girl powers were a little over rated," she said.

Dean grunted as the knife was knocked from his hand, landing near Sam's feet. The demon rushed Sam while he looked down at the knife. Using her own momentum against her, he flipped her onto her back while simultaneously kneeling to pick up the knife and slashing it across her throat. Blood flowed freely from her throat where he had cut her. The sight of the warm red liquid caused the blood in Sam's own veins to pound in his ears. It was like the blood was calling to him. Without thinking, he dove forward and began to drink.

Alex threw a demon off of her and tossed a vile of holy water on him before turning to check on the others. She turned to help Sam. What she saw caused her to stop in her tracks. 'It can't be,' she thought. She was so stunned that Dean had to keep a demon from killing her.

"What the hell are you doing?" he barked.

Seeing her state, Dean followed her line of sight until he saw his brother. Sam slowly rose from his crouched position and turned to face them. His face smeared with the bright red blood of the demon that lay at his feet. He extended his hand towards the rest of the demon horde and this time it worked. All of the demons in the room froze as black smoke began to pour from their mouths.

Alex just stood next to Dean in total shock at not only the show of power Sam just displayed, but also at the way he gained those powers.

When the demons were gone, Sam lowered his hand and looked at the others. He gulped when he saw the look of absolute horror on Alex's face. Extending a bloody hand towards her and taking a step forward only proved to add to her terror as she took a step away from him. Dean pulled her slightly behind him as he stared coldly at Sam. He knew there was something going on with his brother, but never in his life would he have predicted this turn of events.

Dean wrapped an arm around Alex's shoulders before turning his back on his brother and leading the stunned woman out of the warehouse.

Sam watched the two walk away from him, a cold hard lump forming in his stomach as thoughts raged in his mind. 'What have I done?'

******

Alex could hardly believe it when Dean agreed to give her the keys to the Impala so she could go get them food. She hadn't said more than a yes or a no to either of the boys since they left the warehouse. In truth she was afraid to say anything more than that. The carefully constructed walls she used to hold in her emotions and control her powers were slowly beginning to crumble.

Pulling up outside the diner, she parked the car and just sat there with her eyes shut tight against the tidal wave threatening to break inside her. There was no way for her to comprehend what to do next. Her mind raced as she replayed the moment Sam turned around to face her in the warehouse. Until that moment she had hoped that perhaps she misread what she was seeing, but the moment she saw his face stopped all of that.

Not knowing what else to do, she picked up the phone and called the one person she knew she could always count on. Alex once again closed her eyes tight as she listened to the ringing and waited for Bobby to answer the phone. She started to rock back and forth in the driver's seat. On the fifth ring he finally answered the phone. When she took a deep breath to answer him instead of speaking she sobbed as all of the emotion of the day finally caught up to her. "Dad?"

"Alex, what's wrong?"

"It's Sam," she said as she tried to pull herself together.

"What happened?"

"He... He's drinking demon blood. That's how he's getting stronger. I... I don't know what to do."

Bobby sighed on the other end of the line. It broke his heart to hear Alex crying. The revelation about Sam was shocking to say the least, but the broken sound of Alex's voice constricted his heart and cause his concern for the younger Winchester to take a back seat for the time being.

"Bring him to the house, and I'll see what I can do to help."

Alex nodded into the phone, her voice failing her as she fell apart.

"Alex?"

"Why couldn't I see it?" she asked. "Why didn't I realize? I…"

Bobby cut her off. "Don't you dare start blaming yourself for this. That boy did it all on his own. I'll call Dean and tell him I need you all to come to the house. It'll be okay."

After brief I love yous, Alex disconnected the call. Her head fell against the steering wheel as she let the tears over take her. She wept for what Sam had become, for not being able to stop him, and for the man she feared she'd lost because the man she fell in love with and the man she saw in that warehouse were not the same person. She wept tears of anguish as rain began pelting the windshield of the car that sheltered her from the harsh reality of the world outside.

*****

Sam and Dean hadn't said a whole lot to each other since Alex left, and it was quickly making the younger Winchester very nervous. He wished more than anything that Dean would just yell at him or lecture him about what he saw. The ringing of his cell phone broke him from his thoughts. He checked the caller id and answered.

"Hey, Bobby."

"Hey, you three better shag ass to my place, ASAP."

"What's going on?"

"The apocalypse, genius," he said sarcastically. "Now get your asses over here."

The call ended just as Alex entered their room. Sam looked up.

"That was Bobby," he informed her. "He's found something about the apocalypse. Said he needs us to go to his place."

"Then we'll eat on the way," she replied.

Sam began moving around the room, preparing to leave, completely unaware on the knowing look is brother and significant other shared behind his back.

*****

As soon as they arrived, Bobby began leading them down to the panic room.

"Well, thanks for shaking a tail," he said as he opened the door.

"Yeah, you got it," Dean replied.

"Go on inside. I wanna show you something."

Sam was the first to walk in. Turning, he expected to find the others walking through the door only to see them all standing across the threshold.

"All right. So, uh, what's the big demon problem?"

"You are."

Sam looked at him in confusion.

"This is for your own good Sam," Alex said as she closed the door.

He ran across the room only to find the door locked. Looking through the peephole, he looked eyes with his love.

"Alex?" Her eyes started to tear.

Bobby reached over and closed the visor, blocking Sam from their sight. "Come on Babygirl." He wrapped his arm around his adopted daughter and began to lead her upstairs. Locking Sam in the panic room was something he could have lived without, but the look on Alex's face told him that it hurt her far worse than it did him.

"This isn't funny. Guys! Hey! Guys!" Sam's voice continued to follow them as they reached the top of the stairs. Dean shut the door to muffle the sound and released a breath he didn't realize he was holding. It was going to be a very long night. So he asked, "Who wants a drink?"

******

Deciding she needed to distract herself, Alex went about making them all breakfast. They had driven all through the night and hadn't really stopped anywhere. A Twinkie from a gas station did not count as food.

She quickly made bacon and eggs, calling everyone to the table before grabbing a plate and leaving the room.

"Where are you going?" Dean asked.

"Sam's gotta eat too."

She turned back around and proceeded to head down the basement stairs. Opening the little eye slot, she saw Sam sitting on the bed. When he heard the sound of the hatch opening he stood. Alex walked in and placed the plate on a table by the door before leaving the room again without saying a word. Sam walked towards her but the door was already locked before he could reach it.

"Okay. Let me out. This is not funny."

"No shit Sherlock," she replied, a look of annoyance on her face.

"Alex, come on. This is crazy." She wrapped her arms around herself as she lowered her eyes to the ground and shook her head. "Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lied to you. Just open the door."

"You don't have to apologize." She raised her eyes back up to meet his through the small opening. "I don't blame you. I blame Ruby. I get it now. You couldn't help yourself."

"I'm not some junkie."

"Really? So you weren't jonesing for a fix so bad that you cut a woman's throat to drink her blood in the middle of a fight."

Sam was shocked. "You're actually trying to twist this into some kind of ridiculous drug intervention?" She shrugged. "Alex, I'm not drinking the demon blood for kicks. I'm getting strong enough to kill Lilith?" She raised an eyebrow at him. "Killing Lilith is what matters. She's trying to turn you into a monster remember?"

"And have you forgotten that you are the key to that happening?!" she yelled. "God Sam. Cas said if we didn't stop you then I would end up going dark. Hell I'm close enough as it is already." He looked shocked. "Every seal that breaks makes me stronger. I can feel it. It's getting harder and harder to control my powers. There are times that I get angry and want to use my powers to hurt people. I haven't been this close to losing complete control since Bela!"

"Alex," he pleaded. "If Lilith is out of the game the seals stop breaking, and you're safe. Don't you get it? Everything I've done has been for you!"

"What's going on down here?" Dean asked as he came down the stairs. Sam and Alex just looked at him in silence. "I heard yelling and then the sky started getting dark."

"Everything's fine Dean," Alex said. "Sam was just telling me he was doing all of this to kill Lilith."

"Oh, Lilith's gunna die. Alex, Bobby, and I will kill her. But not with you."

"You're not serious."

Dean walked forward as he spoke. "Congrats, Sammy. You just bought yourself a benchwarmer seat to the apocalypse." He reached out and began closing the grate.

Sam, realizing what was happening, started to panic. "Dean, look – no, wait –."

After he secured the lock, Dean turned to Alex. "Come on." He put his arm around her and guided her back up the stairs. The whole time listening to his brother yelling, calling out to them to be released.

******

He couldn't believe that they had actually left him there. Where they crazy? He began to pace around the room. Suddenly the lights flickered. A cold shiver ran down his spine.

"Guys! Get down here! Something's coming!"

Sam turned around quickly and saw Alastair behind him.

"Hello Sam," he said. "It's a pleasure to see you again. Looks like I have you all to myself here. Goodness. How will we pass the time?"

All of the color drained from Sam's face as a sadistic smile spread across Alistair's.

******

Bobby poured two more glasses of whiskey and handed one to both Dean and Alex. She quickly downed hers and slammed the glass down signaling she wanted more. Bobby raised an eyebrow at her in question, but her unwavering gaze told him all he needed to know. Sam had been screaming for hours. Each time his voice could be heard through the closed door, Bobby could see Alex flinch. It was killing his little girl to hear the man she loved in so much pain. If this helped make the whole thing easier on her, he was all for it.

Alex took a drink from her newly filled glass before she spoke. "How long is this gunna go on?"

"Here let me look it up in my demon-detox manual," Bobby replied. "Oh wait. No one ever wrote one." Alex looked down in sadness before draining her glass again and reaching for the bottle. "I'm sorry, Alex. There's no telling how long it'll take, or if Sam will even live through it."

Her head shot up, eyes wide in fear. Sam's pained cries reached her ears. Her hands began to shake causing the glass to slip from her fingers, shattering as it crashed to the floor. Bobby and Dean both started to move towards her. The sound of the phone ringing halted Bobby's movement.

"Hello."

Dean knelt down next to Alex who was frantically trying to clean up the broken glass. She looked up at him when he placed his hand on top of hers to halt her movements. The tears were starting to run down her face as looked up at him. Dean silently wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a hug while he helped her to stand.

He had to close his eyes tight to try and stop his own tears from falling. If he said what was happening to his brother wasn't tearing him apart he would be telling a lie. He felt everything nearly as deeply as the crying woman he held in his arms.

"Suck dirt and die, Rufus. You call me again, I'll kill you," Bobby said before slamming down the phone.

"What's up with Rufus?" Dean asked.

"He knows." The phone rang again. "I'm busy, you son of a bitch. This better be important."

******

The pain suddenly stopped. Sam's eyed flew open. Alastair was nowhere to be seen. Where he had been gagged and bound a moment before, there was nothing. His mind began to race.

"The answer's yes. You're hallucinating."

Sam turned his head to see a younger version of himself standing at the foot of the bed. 'But that's not possible,' he thought.

"That's right. It's me. Or I mean it's you."

"I'm losing my mind."

"Definitely."

Of all the ghosts of his past that would haunt him, his fourteen year old self was probably the last on the list the he would expect to actually show up.

"What do you want?"

"An explanation. How could you do this to me? I thought we were gunna be normal."

"I tried. I did. It didn't pan out that way. Sorry kid."

"Sorry kid? That's what you have to say? It's all we ever wanted. We were so close. You got away from Dad. You quit hunting. You were gunna become a lawyer.."

Sam cut his younger self off. "I never would have met Alex."

"Yeah and that has worked so well for you." Sam looked at him confused. The boy rolled his eyes. "Come on. She has you locked up in here while she sits upstairs doing whatever with your brother and Bobby. All because you're turning into a monster."

"I am not a monster! Everything I have done has been to keep her safe. Does that sound like a monster to you?"

"Do you think she likes you using her as an excuse like that?" the younger countered. Sam looked down at his feet. "She has forgiven you how many times? She loves you. You think she's happy you are using her as an excuse?"

Sam was starting to get angry. "I'm sorry. I am. But life doesn't turn out the way you thought when you were fourteen years old. We were never gunna be normal. We were never gunna get away. Grow up."

Young Sam sighed in acceptance. "Maybe you're right. Maybe there's no escape. After all, how can you run from what's inside you?" His eyes turned yellow.

******

"The news. The news ain't good," Bobby said as he walked back into the room, a stack of papers in his hand.

Alex had recovered from her crying fit for the most part. Dean had held her until she calmed down, and then he helped her clean up the broken glass. She was grateful he was around. He was like the big brother she never had.

"So this is what Rufus called about?" she asked. "Key West sees ten species go extinct."

"Yep." Bobby proceeded to list off several other strange occurrences that happened in recent days. "They're all seals. Breaking. Fast."

Alex gulped. The more seals that broke, the closer she came to the moment of truth. 'It's okay,' she tried to reassure herself. 'I won't get to choose. I won't ever say yes to Lucifer.'

"How many are left?" Dean asked.

"Who knows? Can't be many. Where the hell are your angel pals?"

"You tell me."

"I'm just wondering."

"What?"

"The apocalypse being nigh and all… is now really the right time to be having this little domestic drama of ours?"

Alex became confused. "What do you mean?"

"Well I don't like this any more than you do sweetie, but Sam can kill demons. That's more than even you've got going. He's got a shot at stopping Armageddon."

"So what?" she countered. "Sacrifice Sam's life, his soul, for the greater good? Is that what you're saying? You don't see the same things I do Dad. It's changing him. I don't care what you say. I love Sam, and I am not going to give up on him. He'll make it through this and then we call go back to stopping this thing together."

Alex's chest was heaving slightly by the time she stopped her rant.

"Look," said Bobby with a sigh. "I know you hate me for suggesting it. I hate me for suggesting it. I love that boy like a son. All I'm saying is maybe he's here right now instead of on the battlefield because we love him too much." Alex started to open her mouth to protest, but a raised hand from her father figure stopped her. "I know what the angels said, but you still have to say yes. Nobody can force you to do it. Unless you do, he is the only one here who can kill a Lilith without having to get close enough to use the knife on her."

Dean had been watching the entire exchange with a heavy heart. There was one person out there who could give him real answers. He had been waiting for Cas to show up for days, and now he was sick of waiting.

He went outside and began calling to his "guardian angel." Time passed, and nothing happened. He was finally about ready to give up when he heard the familiar sound of rustling wings.

"Well, it's about time. I've been screaming myself hours out her for about two and a half hours now.

Castiel replied, "What do you want?"

"Can he do it?" Dean asked. "Kill Lilith, stop the apocalypse? Keep Alex from becoming some Hell beast?"

"Possibly, yes. But as you know, he'd have to take certain steps"

Dean ran his hand down his face in frustration.

"Consuming the amount of blood it would take to kill Lilith would change your brother forever. The Mayfair can already see him changing. There's no reason this would have to come to pass, Dean. We believe it's you, Dean. Not your brother. Not the witch. The only question for us is whether you're willing to accept it. Stand up and accept your role. You are the one who will stop it."

It all sounded too good to be true. If what Cas was saying was true, he could save both his brother and Alex. Each passing second Sam spent in that room he could see Alex slowly slipping into the same state she had been in when he died in front of her a year and a half ago. Dean was afraid that if she lost him again there would be no getting her back. 'What if that's the thing that makes her say yes?' he thought. He was not going to let that happen.

"Fine, I'm in."

Cas turned to him and started to recite some kind of oath. Each time Dean said yes he felt a little bit of himself give way, but it was worth it to save his family.

When Cas had gone he turned to go back towards the house. He froze. There stood Alex, mouth slightly agape, staring at him. "Alex.. I"

"Why did you do that?" she asked.

"I did what I had to do." Seeing the look of disbelief on her face he continued. "Look, you guys are my family. If there is a chance that I can keep both you and Sam safe I have to take it." He had walked towards her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I'm not going to let anything happen to either of you," he said before pulling her into a hug.

******

Sam's cries for help had begun anew. His panic filled voice reaching almost manic proportions while Alex watched her "father" and "brother" talk about the little conversation Dean had outside. She was grateful to Dean for what he was trying to do. Scared for him, but grateful. She trusted the angels about as far as she could throw them.

The men fished their conversation, leaving everything silent. Alex's eyes grew wide. 'Sam.' She had been using the conversation to help drown out his cries. Now that it had stopped, she realized that he was no longer screaming. "You hear that?" she asked apprehensively as she rose from the couch.

"Yeah, that's a little too much nothing."

Fear gripped her heart tight as Alex raced to the basement door, Dean and Bobby at her heels. She struggles to get the basement door open and almost fell down the stairs in her hast. Throwing open the latch, she saw Sam through the window. He is lying on the floor having what appears to be a seizure. Her hand went to her mouth for a moment before she reached for the handle on the panic room door.

Dean placed his hand on top of hers to stop her. "What if he's faking?"

"You really think he would do that?" Bobby asked.

"I think he'd do anything."

The trio watched as an invisible force suddenly threw Sam's body into the wall. Alex screamed his name as she worked to open the door as fast as possible.

"Sam. Sam, look at me." She placed her hands on either side of his face in an attempt to make him look at her. Suddenly, he began to roll along the wall. His flailing arm smacked Alex as he went, sending her to the floor.

Bobby and Dean grabbed Sam and started dragging him to the bed. Alex joined them. "You okay?" Bobby asked her. She assured them she was fine. Since she was not strong enough to hold Sam down on her own, she stood back and watched as the others held him down.

"We're gunna have to tie him down for his own safety," said Bobby. Dean just looked down at his brother. "Dean? You with me?" No response. "Dean! Before he has another fit."

"Yeah, yeah. Let's get it over with."

******

The room slowly began to come into focus as Sam opened his weary eyes. Calmer now, he tried to sit up. He panicked slightly when he realized he could not. Looking around he found his arms and legs cuffed to the bed.

"We had to." He heard someone say. Looking up, he saw Alex standing at the foot of his bed. "The demon blood was flinging you all over the room. Tell me something, Sam." Her eyes softened. "Why did you do this to yourself?"

Having told her all of this before his only response was, "You know why."

"Right. Kill Lilith. The big excuse. But why? Oh wait. To keep me safe? So I don't become evil? Right?

"Of course."

Alex rolled her eyes. "Really Sam? Did it slip your mind that I have to be willing for that to happen." His brows knit in confusion. "I have to say yes, Sam. Why would you think I would willingly sign up to be Lucifer's bitch?" Her voice continued to rise in volume as her anger grew. "Not going to happen! So what's the point?"

"Point? How about stop the damn apocalypse?"

"Again, got to have me to do that. Besides the angels said that was Dean's gig. Not yours. So what other excuse do you have? Hmm?"

******

The hunter's waited in Bobby's living room. Bobby paced while Dean sat on the couch. Alex, overcome with guilt at seeing Sam the way he was, sat in the doorway. Her head hung between her knees, and her back resting against the door frame. 'This is all my fault. He said he was doing this to save me.'

"I'm gunna ask one more time," Bobby said, his own guilt starting to take hold. "Are we absolutely sure we're doing the right thing?"

Dean replied, "Bobby, you saw what was happening to him down there. The demon blood is killing him."

"No, it isn't. We are."

Alex's head shot up. "What?" Her eyes grew wide with panic. Yes, her mind had strayed to that at some point, but every time she reminded herself that Sam was strong. He would survive this. Hell he had even come back from the dead once.

"I'm sorry. I can't bite my tongue any longer. We're killing him. Keeping him locked up down there. This cold-turkey thing isn't working. If – if he doesn't get what he needs, soon, Sam's not gunna last much longer."

Dean was furious. "No. I'm not giving him demon blood. I won't do it."

"And if he dies?"

"Stop it!" Alex screamed. The men turned to look at her and saw that she had risen from the floor and was now looking at them with barely contained rage. Tears were swimming in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. "Sam is not going to die. I won't let him."

"And just how do you plan on doing that?" asked Bobby. Alex raised an eyebrow at him.

"No," Dean jumped in. "It's too risky. We don't know how many seals are left, and until Lilith is dead it's. . . I don't want you accidentally doing something that has you saying yes just to save my brother."

Frustrated, Alex turned on her heel and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?"

"For a walk," she said. "I need to clear my head. I can't just sit hear listening to the two of you and waiting for Sam to start screaming again." Grabbing her jacket, she shut the door behind her and began walking aimlessly through the junk yard.

******

Sam watched as Alex began to circle his bed. "I know why you really drink that blood, Sam," she said.

"Just leave me alone."

"It makes you feel strong. Invincible. Like you can take on the world."

"No. You're wrong, Alex."

"It's more than that, isn't it?" She sat down next to him on the bed. "It makes you feel important. Not that I can blame you." Her fingers began to play with the collar of Sam's shirt. "I'm supposed to be some sort of all powerful witch. Your brother is the angel's favorite toy, and you…. Well, you know what you are."

"Stop." He shut his eyes trying to block her out.

"Did I hit a nerve?" She was now leaning over him, her face just inches away from his own. "Not because you wanted to save me…"

"Stop it." He shut his eyes against her words.

"It's because you're a monster."

"Shut up! Just – shut the hell up!"

Sam opened his eyes to find that he was once again alone in the room. It had all been in his head yet again. Tears began to sting his eyes. 'Is that really what she thinks of me?'

Suddenly the cuff on his left arm snapped, drawing him from his revelry. The others soon followed. Sam sat up slowly, looking around the room for any signs of life only to find he was indeed alone.

"Hello?"

The doors lock suddenly gave a loud click as it released. Rising slowly from the bed, Sam cautiously slipped through the now open door.

"Someone here?"

Still no reply. Deciding to take his chance, Sam hurried out of the basement. In his haste he never saw the angel in the corner close and lock the panic room door behind him.

******

Alex did not know how long she had been walking. Her temper had cooled a few minutes ago. Worry for Sam still swirled in her brain. A mental battle was being fought inside her as she struggled to come to grips with all that had happened in the past few days. Finally, she decided to go back and check on Sam. If he had not improved she wasn't sure what she would do, but she would think of something.

The sound of raised voices reached her ears as she approached the house. 'Are they still fighting?' Stopping to listen, she realized that the voices she heard were not that of Dean and Bobby, but of Bobby and Sam. Moving in the direction they were coming from, she crept around the corner of the house. A car roared to life just as she rounded the corner to find her father lying on the ground unconscious.

"Dad!"

She sprinted forward and dropped to her knees beside him as he began to come around.

"What happened?"

"Sam," he said groggily. "Sam escaped."

******

The trio looked curiously around the panic room. The door was still locked upon their arrival. All of the demon traps had been broken, but other than that things seemed to be in place.

"How did he get out?" Alex asked.

Bobby shrugged. "Maybe he had help."

"Demons? Ruby?" Dean offered.

"That's be my guess."

"No," said Alex as she stood from examining a broken piece of metal. She doesn't have that kind of mojo. She wouldn't even be able to touch the door."

"What difference does it make?" asked Bobby. "How he got gone ain't as important as where he got gone to."

"Leave that to me," Dean said as he turned to leave the room, the rest following behind.

"I hope Ruby is with him when we find him," Alex said as she ascended the steps.

Bobby looked at her in confusion. "Why?"

"Because killing her just moved to the top of my to-do list."

******

Sam sat in the corner shaking violently as he waited for his guest to arrive. The sound of someone knocking on the door pulled him from his foggy thoughts. Moving to the door on unsteady legs, he opened it to see a very welcome sight. Ruby.

"Honeymoon suite, really?" she asked. "I'm flattered."

Sam shut the door quietly behind her. "Did you bust me out of that room?"

Ruby scoffed. "How could I, Sam? The whole thing's engineered to bite me in the ass."

"Then how did I get out of there?"

None of it made any since to him. At first, he had thought that perhaps Alex was the one letting him out, but when there was nobody there he knew that wasn't the case. She would have gone with him if it had been her. The only logical conclusion after that had been the demon standing before him.

Right now, who let him out wasn't nearly as important as getting what he needed.

"Where the hell have you been?"

"I got here as quick as I could," said Ruby.

"I mean the past three weeks. I've been calling you."

"I've been pretty deep in it trying to dig out Lilith. Sometimes I can't sit around and check my voicemail. I'm sorry you're hurting. Really. I had no idea Alex would do that to you."

Pain grabbed his heart. "You and me both."

"You didn't book this joint just to impress me did you?"

Sam began to explain his choice of location. It was easy to assume that his brother and Alex would be looking for him. With seals breaking like they were he knew they wouldn't let Alex do a locator spell, so he wasn't worried about her. It was Dean he was afraid would track him. Dean knew him better than anyone. Every move he would make Dean would predict, so he did just the opposite.

"You know, it's sad," said Ruby once he had finished his tale.

"What?"

"That things have gotten this bad between you all."

She stroked his hair lovingly. He pulled away slightly before throwing her down onto the bed. He towered over her. His hand slid along her leg until he found the knife hidden in an ankle sheath. Pulling it free, he bent over her and cut her arm. The second he saw the blood his pupils dilated. This is what he had been waiting for.

Sam surged forward and began to suck hungrily while Ruby looked on, a satisfied smirk on her face.

******

Tracking Sam down had proven a lot easier than they had thought. Each time they found what Sam always went for, they searched for the opposite. Alex doing a locator spell would have been quicker, but Dean wouldn't allow it. Seals were breaking fast. If her accepting her birthright was part of the final seal that let Lucifer free, he'd rather she not do any magic at all in case she got tempted.

It didn't matter. They found him all the same. That's how Alex found herself waiting outside one of two honeymoon suites waiting for Sam to appear. Dean was watching the other. The plan was to wait for Sam to show his face and whoever saw him first would text the other. She hoped hers was the right one. She really wanted to "say hi" to Ruby.

The door finally opened as Sam prepared to leave. Alex quickly ducked around the corner before he could see her. As he walked past she could see the air around him had darkened once more. Her mood suddenly darkened.' Ruby.'

Alex crept to the door as quietly as possible after sending a text to Dean. The door didn't make a sound as she entered. Ruby's back was turned. 'Good.'

"Hello Ruby."

The she-demon spun on her heals, eyes growing wide when she saw the hunter holding the demon knife. She tried to run, but Alex was ready for her. Against Dean's warnings she used her magic to trap her in a demon trap made of light. A ripple of pleasure went through Alex at using her powers again. Ruby slammed against the trap.

Alex slowly sauntered over to her. She raised the knife. "Game over."

Before she could deliver the blow a strong hand wrapped around her wrist. Turning she saw Sam was the one staying her wrath.

"No. Let her go. Just take it easy." She tried to pull her arm away, but he was true strong. "Alex, I'm glad you're here." He pulled the knife from her hand. "Look. Let's just talk about this."

Alex's concentration was broken. The trap fell away and Ruby was able to make her escape, just barely missing Dean as he came into the room.

"She's poison Sam," Alex protested.

"It's not what you think."

Dean spoke up, alerting his brother to his presence in the room. "Than what is it?" Sam turned his head just far enough to see his brother. "Look what she did to you. I mean, she up and vanishes weeks at a time, leaves you cracked out for another hit."

"She was looking for Lilith."

"Oh come on Sam," said Alex. "She is manipulating you. Why can't see that?"

"You're wrong guys."

"Sam, you're lying to yourself." She placed her hands on either side on his face. "I love you. I just want you to be okay. You would do the same for me. You know you would."

Frustrated, Sam raised his hands as he spoke. "Just listen." He watched Alex's eyes grow wide as she shrank away from him. He heard Dean approaching him, only then did he realize that he was still holding the demon knife he had taken from her earlier. Tossing it on the bed, he turned back to her and continued. "Just listen for a second. We got a lead on a demon close to Lilith. Come with me." He placed his hands on her arms as his voice softened. "We can do this together."

"Fine," she said. "You, me, and Dean can go. No Ruby. You kiss her ass good-bye and we'll leave right now."

His arms fell away from her. "I can't."

Tears came to her eyes. She looked to Dean who seemed to be ready to burst with anger at his younger brother.

"Alex," he turned towards his brother, "Dean, I need her to help me kill Lilith. I know you can't wrap your head around it, but maybe one day you'll understand. I'm the only one who can do this."

Dean had had enough. "No you're not the one who's gunna do this."

"Right, that's right, I forgot. Then angels think it's you."

"You don't think I can?"

Alex watched and listened in silence as the brothers exchanged words. It was obvious that neither was willing to budge. A sense of dread began to form in the pit of her stomach. It quickly dropped when Dean's words took him to a place they could never come back from.

"Because it's not something that you're doing. It's what you are! It means –"

He stopped. Alex locked her eyes with his and shook her head, pleading with him not to finish.

"What?" Sam asked. "No. Say it."

Alex's head dropped. She could hear in Sam's voice that he was close to tears.

"It means you're a monster."

Sam nodded. Alex raised her own tear filled eyes to see a single tear run down Dean's cheek. It had hurt him as much to say the words as it had for his brother to hear them. Sam however, did not see the tear as he pulled back his arm and punched Dean as hard as he could causing him to fall back into a mirror. It shattered.

A fight quickly erupted between the two. Alex began screaming at them to stop, but did not dare get in between the two. She had seen the both of them in enough fights to know that once the adrenaline started pumping, they might not realize who they were swinging at until it was all over.

Sam suddenly found himself on top of Dean and began choking the life out of him. "You don't know me," he said. "You never did. And you never will."

Seeing what was about to happen Alex finally jumped in. She would let them beat each other bloody, but there was no way she would let one of them kill the other. No matter what had happened between them, they were still brothers. The guilt one would feel for taking the life of the other would consume them.

She ran towards them. "Sam stop!" She used all of her strength to try and pull him off. In his blind rage, Sam did not realize who was pulling on him. He did not think. He just reacted and lashed out violently.

Releasing Dean's throat, he turned and hit his attacker with as much force as he could manage from his position on the floor. Alex flew back into the glass coffee table. The sound of the glass breaking and her body hitting the floor broke Sam out of his haze.

"Oh god." She wasn't moving. "Alex?" His voice was soft. Sam quickly got off of Dean and scrambled to her side. He pushed some hair out of her face as he tried to rouse her. "Alex? Alex, baby, can you hear me."

"Get away from her," Dean said in a scratchy voice. Air finally returned to his lungs as her crawled towards his friend. Using all of his strength he pushed Sam away from her. "Now look what you've done. You say you're doing this for her, and now you do this?" He turned his attention to the woman at his feet. "Alex," he coaxed softly. A groan escaped her lips as she slowly came back to consciousness.

Tears were falling from Sam's eyes and he stood, running his hands through his hair. Oh god! What have I done? Sam asked himself as he backed towards the door. He started to turn but stopped at Dean's voice. "You walk out that door, don't you ever come back."

He turned. Dean had pulled Alex into his arms. Dazed but conscious, her blue-gray eyes looked up at Sam weakly. The guilt became too much for him. "I'm sorry," he said. Turning back towards the door, he turned the handle. He looked over his shoulder one more time. "I love you," he said before walking through the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review. Feedback is welcome.


	33. Chapter 33

Crickets chirped and the birds sang as Sam stood outside the old farmhouse. The image of Alex lying among the broken glass wouldn't leave his head.

***flashback***

Releasing Dean's throat, he turned and hit his attacker with as much force as he could manage from his position on the floor. Alex flew back into the glass coffee table. The sound of the glass breaking and her body hitting the floor broke Sam out of his haze.

"Oh god." She wasn't moving. "Alex?" His voice was soft. Sam quickly got off of Dean and scrambled to her side. He pushed some hair out of her face as he tried to rouse her. "Alex? Alex, baby, can you hear me."

***end flashback***

Ruby's voice pulled him out of his memory. "Sam? Your head in the game here?"

He paused for a moment as he blinked the vision that had been plaguing him for days away. "I'm good. Let's go."

"You okay?"

Sam sighed, "I just said I was."

"Look," said Ruby. "I know hand-holding really isn't my thing… but still Dean was wrong, saying what he said to you.

"No, he was right to say it. I mean, I don't blame him after what I did." The moment he saw Alex crash through the table had been playing on a constant loop in his brain. Each time he closes his eyes all he sees is her unconscious form lying amongst the broken glass.

"Well, after we're done, you guys will patch things up. I mean, you always do. And I'm sure Alex will be so happy to see you that she'll forget all about everything."

"You're talking like I've got an 'after.' "

"Don't say that."

"I can feel it inside me, Ruby. I've changed… for good. And there's no going back now."

"Sam…"

"Look," he interrupted, "I know what I gotta do. It's okay. Alex making it out of all of this okay is the most important thing to me. That's why I'm doing this. Besides, if I was her I wouldn't want to touch me after this. Anyways. . . It doesn't matter. Let's just get this done with." Ending the conversation, Sam lowered himself into the passenger seat and waited for Ruby to join him.

******

The fighting had been going on for days, and the sound wasn't helping Alex recover any faster. She struck her head when she fell through the table, giving herself a mild concussion. For the first 24 hours she wasn't allowed to sleep for more than an hour at a time. Dean and Bobby had taken turns waking her and making sure she got up and moved around for a little bit before allowing her to go back to sleep. Now she had a splitting headache.

Dean and Bobby were still going on about the same topic . . . calling Sam. She had been laying there for almost an hour trying to rest and let the Excedrin kick in, but it was no use. Throwing the covers off in exasperation, she rose from the bed and went to give them what for.

"I know you're pissed," she heard Bobby say as she descended the stairs. "And I'm not making apologies for what he's done. Hell I'm not happy with him either, but he's your –"

"Blood?" Dean countered. "He's my blood, is that what you were gunna say?

"He's your brother, and he's drowning."

"We tried to help him, Bobby. Look what happened." He gestured upwards in the direction of the room Sam had shared with Alex. "He threw Alex through a freaking coffee table. He says he's doing all of this because he loves her. If he can do that to her than it's too late."

A pang of guilt took hold in Alex's chest. Neither man had noticed her presence yet. Granted, she was just peaking around the corner, not wanting to disrupt the conversation. "There's no such thing," she heard her father say. The words brought a smile to her face.

"Well I'm sick and tired of chasing him. Screw him. He can do what he wants."

Alex chose that moment to make her presence known. "You don't mean that."

The men, startled by her sudden appearance, jumped slightly when they turned to look at her. Dean swallowed. "Yes I do. Alex, Sam's gone." She started shaking her head as Dean took a few steps towards her. He spoke a little softer. "He's gone. I'm not even sure if he's still my brother anymore. If he ever was."

That comment made Alex see red. She pulled back her arm and punched Dean in the jaw as hard as she could. Dean's head whipped to the side as he stumbled a few steps into Bobby's desk. "You son of a bitch!" He wiped the blood off of his split lip as he looked up at the woman before him. "You think you're the only one Sam hurt? What about Bobby? What about me? Did you ever stop to think about how all of this is affecting us? You're not the only one he hurt Dean, but you seem to be the only one that's throwing in the towel."

"I told him, 'you walk out that door, don't come back' and he walked out anyway!" His anger had returned. "That was his choice!"

"God you are such a whiny little bitch!" she screamed.

Bobby moved to get in between the two feuding hunters, but Dean suddenly vanished. They stood their staring for a moment before Alex turned to go into the living room. Bobby, still stunned took a moment to follow her. She was coming down the stairs carrying her duffel bag when he reached the living room. Without saying a word she sat down on the couch and began putting on her combat boots.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm going after Sam."

"Did you not just see Dean vanish?"

"I'm sure the angels have him. He is their precious little pet after all."

"Hey!" he yelled at her. "Look I know you're upset, but we don't know for sure that's where Dean went. He could be in trouble."

"And we know for sure that Sam is!" Alex looked down and took a deep breath to calm herself before continuing. "Dad, I know what just happened back there may make it look like I don't care what happens to Dean, but you're wrong. He has the angels on his side. They may not be the greatest but at least it's something. Sam doesn't have anybody. All he has is a demon leading him around with the wool over his eyes."

Her words made sense, but he still did not like the idea of her going alone. "Give me a sec. I'll go with you."

She quickly stood and took a hold of his arm. "No Dad. I need to do this alone. It's going to be hard enough to get Sam to listen to me. If I show up with reinforcements…"

Bobby nodded. "Okay." He pulled her into a tight hug. "You take care of yourself out there, and watch your back. Ruby is going to be looking for you."

Alex nodded against his chest. "I will. I'll promise." She gave him a reassuring smile before picking up her bag, turning, and heading for the door, grabbing her jacket along the way.

She fished her phone out of her pocket as she approached her beloved motorcycle. Quickly, she dialed Sam's number and waited for him to answer. All she got was his voicemail. "Sam it's me," she said. "Look I know what Dean said, but it doesn't matter. You don't have to do this alone. I want to help. Just let me know where you are, and I'll come running. All that other stuff, it… it doesn't matter okay? I love you Sam." She sighed as she hung up the phone. Knowing the chances of him calling were slim, so she decided to head to the library to do some research and see if she could figure out where he was going the old fashioned way.

******

Dean looked around with wide eyes. The room he found himself in was white with gold accents. There was a large dining table in the middle with a bucket full of ice holding his favorite beer and a large platter of hamburgers. He picked up a bottle to examine it more closely

"Hello Dean. You're looking fit."

He spun to find Zachariah and Castiel standing before him. He quickly replaced the bottle and faced the angels.

"Well, how 'bout this? The suite life of Zach and Cas." The angles looked at him with blank expressions on their faces. "It's a… never mind. So, what is this? Where the hell am I?"

"Call it a green room," replied Zachariah. "We're closing in on the grand finale, here. We want you safe before showtime." He pointed to the food on the table beside them. "Try a burger. They're your favorite. From that seaside shake in Delaware. You were 11 I think."

"I'm not hungry."

"No? How about Ginger from season 2 of 'Gilligan's Island'? You do have a thing for her, don't you?

A little smirk formed on Dean's face. "Tempting. Weird."

"We'll throw in Mary Ann for free."

Dean thought for a moment before declining the offer. "No, no. Let's… bail on the holodeck, okay? I want to know what the game plan is."

"Let us worry about that," said Zachariah. "We want you…focused, relaxed."

Dean couldn't help but notice that Castiel had yet to move or utter a word. "Well, I'm about to be pissed and leaving, so start talking Chuckles."

The angel sighed. "All of the seals have fallen. Except one."

Dean's eyes grew wide. "That's an impressive score. That's… that's right up there with the Washington Generals."

"You think sarcasm's appropriate do you? Considering … you started all this?" Dean lowered his eyes as the guilt he felt at his part to play in all of this returned. "But the final seal…it'll be different."

He listened in stunned silence as Zachariah told him about Lilith having to be the one to break the final seal. It confused him. He had always thought Alex was the one to break it. That had always been what was implied when they talked about her "accepting her birthright" and all. Pushing that aside, he demanded to know what he was supposed to do to stop it. Alex still had the knife in her duffle bag when they zapped him to wherever he was. There wasn't much he could do without that.

"All in good time," Zachariah coddled.

"Isn't now a good time?"

"Have faith."

"What in you? Give me one good reason why I should."

The angel lost his cool calm exterior as the hunter pushed him to the end of his patience. He got in Dean's face as he spoke. "Because you swore your obedience. So obey."

Dean looked past him towards Castiel in hopes of finding some answers, but the angle only looked down at the floor instead of meeting his eyes.

******

While she was no closer to finding out what the next seal would be, she did find a lead on Sam. There was some security camera footage of Sam and Ruby outside of a hospital back east, so that's where she was headed. It had been a long time since she's ridden cross-country on her bike, and she could feel it.

Every muscle in her body ached as she laid down in the motel room to sleep for a few hours before resuming her search for the wayward Winchester.

***vision***

Sam walked into the abandoned church, passing a sign that read Saint Mary's.

Lilith slouched against the alter gasping for breath.

Sam's eyes became the black of a demon's.

***end of vision***

Alex sat upright in bed gasping for breath. Her heart racing after her prophetic dream. All exhaustion left her body as she raced around her room, grabbing her belongings. She suddenly knew exactly where she needed to go.

*****

With each passing moment, Dean's frustration grew. Nobody was telling him anything about what was going on. I can't just sit here and wait. Not knowing what was going on was slowly driving him insane. The frustration kept mounting until he grabbed one of the many mantelpieces and threw it to floor, shattering it.

"You asked to see me?"

Dean turned to see that Castiel had finally come. He cleared his throat. "Yeah, listen. I uh, I need something."

"Anything you wish."

"I need you to take me to see Sam."

Castiel became apprehensive, "Why?"

"There's something I got to talk to him about."

"What's that?"

It was quickly becoming clear to Dean that this conversation was going nowhere. He tried a few more times, even saying he just wanted to go for a walk, but the angel wouldn't budge.

"You know what?" said Dean. "Screw this noise. I'm out of here."

Castiel asking him, "Through what door?" This gave him pause. He turned from the door he was about to exit to look at the angel with a frown. When he turned back the door was gone. Only a wall stood in its place.

"Damn it," he said as he pounded his fist against the wall.

******

Ruby drove on in silence as Sam sat in the passenger seat. He opened his phone and stared at the screen for what was at least the dozenth time. The display simply read "1 new voicemail from Alex," but he didn't play it. He just stared at the screen.

"What are you a 12 year-old girl? Just play it already," said Ruby.

"Mind your own business." The woman in the trunk screamed to be released. "God I wish she would just shut up."

"Well that can be arranged," Ruby said. Sam glared at her. "I don't get it. All the demons you cut with the knife – what do you think happens to the host? How is that any different?"

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

Ruby sighed. "I know that you're having a tough time here Sam, but we're in the final lap here. Now is not the time to grow a persqueeter. If you do that this entire thing with Alex is for nothing. Do you want that?"

"I don't know," Sam replied. "I – I just… I'm starting to think… maybe they was right."

"About what?'

"About everything."

The demon started to feel a small amount of panic and began looking frantically from the road to the hunter at her side. She tried to keep her voice steady. "We're gunna see this through, right Sam?" He did not answer. "Sam?"

******

Dean grabbed a pedestal and began banging it against the wall in hopes of an escape. He battered the wall over and over again until it was down to the foundation. A small smile appeared on his face. It's working. He paused for a breath. When he went to lift the pedestal again and looked back to the wall the damage was gone. It was completely unharmed.

"Son of a bitch."

"Quit hurling fences like a howler monkey would you?" Zachariah asked as he appeared without a sound. "It's unbecoming."

The rage was unmistakable in Dean's eyes as he stared down the angel. "Let me out of here."

"Like I told you: too dangerous out there. Demons on the prowl."

He wasn't buying it for a second. There was something these douchbags weren't telling him. "I've been getting my ass kicked all year. Now you're sweating my safety? You're lying. I want to see my brother."

Zachariah never broke his calm composure, a smug smile still firmly planted on his face. "That's… ill advised."

"You know," said Dean, "I am so sick of your crap riddles and your smug, fat face. What the hell is going on, huh? Why can't I see Sam? And how am I gunna ice Lilith?"

The angel sighed, "You're not … going to ice Lilith."

Dean's stomach dropped. "What?"

"Lilith's going to break the final seal. The Mayfair will rise and Lucifer will be set free. Fait accompi at this point. Train's left the station."

"But," Dean stuttered, "me and Sam, we can protect Alex. We can stop…" He paused in his rant, a realization dawning on him. His eyes widened slightly before he narrowed his gaze at the angel. "You don't want to stop it, do you?"

Zachariah gave him another of his signature, smug smiles. "Nope. Never did. The end is nigh. The apocalypse is coming, kiddo, to a theatre near you."

Dean started to question him about why they had made it seem like they wanted to save the seals. The answer was simple. They merely did not want an uprising to happen while they enacted their master plan. The why didn't really matter. All the angels wanted was their final showdown so paradise would reign on Earth. Hundreds of thousands of people would die yes, but as Zachariah put it. . . "Well… you can't make an omelet without creaking a few eggs. In this case… truckloads of eggs, but you get the picture." The hunter eyed a statue on the mantelpiece. "Uh, no, Dean. Probably shouldn't try to bash my skull in with that thing. Wouldn't end up too pleasant for you."

"What about Sam and Alex? They won't go quietly. Sam will stop Lilith, and there is no way Alex is going to say yes to Lucifer."

Zachariah inhaled deeply. "Sam… has a part to play, Alex too. Very important parts. They may need a little nudging in the right direction, but I'll make sure they play their parts."

"What does that mean? What are you gunna do to them?"

"Sam and Alex, Sam and Alex, Sam and Alex," he parroted. "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia. Forget about them would you? You have larger concerns. Why do you think I'm confiding in you? You're still vital, Dean. We weren't lying about your destiny." Zachariah slowly moved towards Dean. "Just… omitted a few pertinent details. But nothing's changes. You are chosen. You will stop it. Just … not Lilith, the Mayfair, or the apocalypse. That's all."

"Which means?"

The angel gestured to a painting on the wall that showed two angels fighting. One in shining armor stood over the other with a magnificent sword poised to strike a death blow. Zachariah had been talking the whole time, but Dean just tuned him out.

"Tell me something," Dean said. "Where's God in all of this?"

"God?" replied Zachariah. "God has left the building."

After the angel left, Dean pulled out his cell phone again and tried desperately to call Sam. All he got was static. As he hung up and prepared to dial Alex, Castiel appeared behind him.

"You can't reach them Dean. You're outside your coverage zone."

"What are you gunna do to Sam?" he asked. He knew that the only way they would get to Alex was through his little brother. If he could just figure out a way to stop whatever it was they had planned for Sam he could kill two birds with one stone.

"Nothing. He's gunna do it to himself."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dean asked. Castiel would not look at him. "Oh, right, right. Got to toe the company line. Why are you here, Cas?"

"We've been through much together, you and I," Castiel said. "And I just wanted to say, I'm sorry it ended like this."

"Sorry?" Dean punched the angel. Armageddon went far beyond sorry. Toying with the lives of himself, his brother, and his best friend… sorry didn't even come close. It was going to take a lot more than words to fix things at this point, and Dean was done talking.

"What would you have me do?" the angel asked.

"Get me to Sam. We can stop this before it's too late."

If Castiel had a heart, it would have been very heavy inside his chest. He knew what the right thing to do was, but he had his orders. "I do that, we will all be hunted. We'll all be killed."

"If there is anything worth dying for… this is it." Castiel just shook his head and looked at the floor. "You spineless…" Castiel turned away," soulless son of a bitch. What do you care about dying? You're already dead. We're done." The angel tried to interject by saying his name, but Dean would have none of it. "We're done!" Castiel disappeared.

******

St. Mary's Convent – 2 miles. That's what the sign said. Sam looked from it to the phone in his hand as he contemplated his next move. Whatever he chose would determine his fate, and perhaps the fate of the entire planet. Ruby tried to hurry him along, but he told her to give him a minute. Talking a final breath to calm his nerves, he pressed play.

"First unheard message," the electronic voice announced before the sweet sound of Alex's voice echoed in his ears. "Listen to me, you bloodsucking freak. I gave you everything, and all you did was lie to me and betray me. Hitting me was the last straw. I loved you Sam. I really did. That's why I'm giving you fair warning. We're done. I'm coming for you. You're a monster, Sam. You're not you anymore. So, make your peace with God Sam. Because I am going to put you down." The phone beeped in his ear.

Ruby stood behind him with a smug look on her face, knowing exactly what had just transpired. Sam lowered the phone and turned it off. Tears were swimming in his eyes. He knew he had betrayed her. He knew she would be upset, but to hear those words coming from her… it was enough to rip him in two.

"Do it."

"Thank God," Ruby said as she opened the trunk and readied to deal with the screaming woman inside.

******

Dean continued to pace back and forth across the floor. He paused in front of the platter of hamburgers. Deciding to make the best of a bad situation, he took one. He never had the chance to take a bite as a hand suddenly grabbed his shoulder. Dean turned and found himself face to face with Castiel as the angel shoved him against the wall. He placed a hand over his mouth before drawing a knife. Tension mounted in the room as the two just stared at each other. When Dean nodded, Castiel released his hold before drawing the knife across his forearm and drawing a sigil on the wall with his blood.

"Castiel!" Zachariah yelled as he appeared in the room. "Would you mind explaining just what the hell you're doing?"

Castiel finished his drawing and slammed his hand in the middle of the sigil. A blinding white light flashed, and Zachariah was gone. "He won't be long," Castiel said. "We have to find Sam now. He's the key to everything."

"Where is he?"

"I don't know, but I know who does. We have to stop him, Dean, from killing Lilith."

Dean was confused. "But Lilith's gunna break the final seal."

"Lilith is the final seal." His voice was absolute. "She dies, the end begins."

In the blink of an eye they found themselves outside Chuck's house. He would know where it was all going to take place. If anyone could point them in the right direction, it would be him.

******

There was no conscious thought to Alex's driving. It was as if the bike had a mind of it's own. From the instant she woke up from her harrowing dream she just knew where she had to go. She screeched to a halt outside of St. Mary's, not even bothering to prop the kickstand before throwing the bike to the ground.

Alex took off for the doors in a dead sprint, checking for the demon knife along the way. The sounds of a woman screaming in pain lead her through the maze of corridors until she found the right room. Sam stood over Lilith with his arm outstretched towards her. Lilith was up against the alter, gasping for breath.

'Oh no,' she thought. It was the exact image from her dream. "Sam!" she cried as she ran towards the open door. He didn't react. "Sam!" she called again as she reached his side. Alex began reaching up to place a hand on the side of his face to get his attention, but something grabbed her from behind.

Ruby used all of her strength to pull the female hunter away from Sam, but Alex was not going to go willingly. Using all the strength she could muster, Alex rammed her elbow into the demons ribs. Ruby groaned and her grip loosened just enough for Alex to break free and move back towards Sam.

His temperature rose as he focused on the sound of the heartbeat coming from the demon that lay at his mercy. Sam focused on the beating, the only sound he could hear. He focused on slowing it to a stop.

Alex froze for a moment in fear as she looked upon Sam's face. His eyes were changing. She watched in horror as the pupils expanded. Her breath stuck in her throat as she watched Sam's hazel eyes that she loved so much turn to the coal black of a demon. Taking a moment to strengthen her resolve, Alex closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

The air raced from her lungs as a sharp pain engulfed her right side. A small groan reached her ears as she turned to see Ruby closing her eyes in pain as she pulled the knife from the hunter's side, the wound she inflicted on her intended master causing her pain as well as she watched the woman fall to the floor.

She cried out as the pain radiated through her side. Looking to Sam, she saw that his eyes were still the cold, heartless, black of a demon. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before swallowing the lump in her throat.

She steeled herself. 'Okay,' she thought. 'Alright. . . Let's do this.' A startling calm enveloped her as she slowly rose from the floor. She did not open her eyes until she had reached her full height.

Her eyes glowed an unnatural amber as she strode towards Sam, power coursing through her veins. She took hold of his hand and searched his soul for the darkness that was taking hold. Once she found it, she began pulling it from him. It entered her body before being forced out through her other hand.

Ruby watched in wonder as the witch forced the demonic part of Sam's now tainted soul from his body without stripping him of his power. Lilith gave a final gasping breath before falling to her side, dead. Blood poured from her body and began forming a circle of sorts on the floor.

Sam lowered his arm and took a few deep breaths before turning to the woman at his side. "Alex?" She gave him a weak smile.

"Hey," she said in a shaky voice. The adrenaline now gone from her body she leaned into Sam's side as the events of the past few minutes began to take their toll on her body. Alex looked to the fallen demon and noticed the strange pattern the blood was forming. She pulled away from Sam slightly. "What the…?"

"I can't believe it," said Ruby as she moved to stand next to the two hunters.

"Ruby," Sam began, "what's going on?"

"You did it," she said in amazement. "I mean, it was a little touch-and-go there for a while, but … you did it."

"What? What… what did I do?"

"You opened the door. And now he's free at last. He's free at last." A look of pure joy spread across the demons face as she watched the two lovers embrace. Everything had worked out far better than she could imagine. Sam tried to deny what had transpired, but she cut him off. "And it is written that the first demon shall be the last seal. And the May…"

"Stop," Alex commanded with an authority to her voice that had not been there before. Ruby tried to continue but found that she could not speak. Her eyes grew wide as she stared at the hunter, the full weight of her gaze bearing down upon her.

Sam suddenly reached forward in an attempt to use his powers, but it was to no avail. He dropped like a sack of stones, clutching his head in pain.

"Sam!"

Everyone in the room turned to see Dean racing in. "Catch!" Alex yelled as she pulled the knife from its hiding place and tossed it to Dean. Ruby never even got the chance to fully face her assailant before Dean buried the knife in her body. Light flickered in her eyes for a moment before she fell to the ground dead.

Sam slowly pulled himself to his feet, lacing his hand with Alex's, and moved towards Dean. He looked back and forth between his brother and girlfriend, "I'm sorry," he said brokenly.

Alex was not paying attention to him she was watching the blood. It was suddenly so clear. It was the door. That was the spot Lucifer was going to rise from. "Guys." She pulled on Sam's arm and reached for Dean's as well. They followed her terror filled gaze and saw a beam of light begin to come up from the floor. "We've got to go."

Dean and Alex quickly began to head for the door, but Sam stayed rooted to his spot. "He's coming."

Snapping out of his daze, Sam joined the others in their race for the door. The heavy oak barrier slammed shut just as they reached it. The boys began pounding on the door, but Alex turned. She could feel something pulling her towards the light. Sam saw her stumbling towards it.

"Alex!"

The light grew to blinding proportions and suddenly vanished. The trio blinked away their confusion to find themselves in the Impala outside some random motel. Dean looked down to see that he was holding the room key for the door directly in front of them. He exited the car and opened the door. To his surprise all of their belongings were already in place.

"You guys aren't gunna believe this."

Sam walked up to his brother and looked inside the room. "Why is our stuff here?"

"I don't know."

"Alex did you…" His eyes grew wide. He watched Alex take a few uneasy steps. She began to sway and then buckle. He raced forward and caught her just as her legs gave out. A gasp of what Sam could only guess was pain escaped her lips. He could feel something warm and wet beneath his hand where he held her. A lump formed in his throat as he pulled his hand away to see it painted red with blood as she went limp in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you thought of the latest chapter.


	34. Chapter 34

"Alex did you…" His eyes grew wide. He watched Alex take a few uneasy steps. She began to sway and then buckle. He raced forward and caught her just as her legs gave out. A gasp of what Sam could only guess was pain escaped her lips. He could feel something warm and wet beneath his hand where he held her. A lump formed in his throat as he pulled his hand away to see it painted red with blood as she went limp in his arms.

"Dean!"

At the sound of his brother's panicked voice, Dean turned to see Sam lifting an ashen Alex into his arms. His eyes grew wide. "Quick get her inside."

Sam raced her through the door and gently laid her down on the bed nearest the door. "Alex?! Alex can you hear me?"

"Sam…?" Her voice was weak. With no time to waste, Sam ordered Dean to bring him the supplies as he began taking Alex's jacket off. Her entire side was covered in her blood. The sight caused Sam's heart to stop for a moment before Dean's voice spurred him into action.

Finding the hole in her shirt, Sam ripped her shirt open to reveal the weeping wound.

"What happened?" Dean asked.

"Ruby," was Alex's strained reply. "She stabbed me when I was trying to get to you."

She gasped in pain when Sam pressed a towel to her side in an attempt to stop the bleeding. "It's okay. You're gunna be okay." He sounded unconvincing even to his own ears. Soon a warm wet feeling appeared under his hand where he held the towel "Dean, I need help. I can't get it to stop bleeding."

The elder Winchester was glued to his spot on the other side of the bed. He watched silently as she grew paler, and the blood pool beneath her grew larger. There was nothing he could do.

"Dean!" Sam looked up at his brother in wide-eyed horror. 'Why isn't he helping?' The feel of Alex's hand on his drew his attention back to the injured woman next to him.

"It's okay," her soft voice rasped. "It's over."

Tears began streaming down Sam's face. "No. No. You're gunna be okay."

She silently reached her hand up and placed it on the side of his face. The feel of her thumb whipping away his tears caused him to lean into her touch. He held her hand in both of his as he kissed her palm.

"Just hold on okay? We're gunna go get help."

She smiled weakly. "I love you, Sam."

"I love you too."

Alex's smile slowly left her face. The hand Sam held to his cheek went limp as her eyes closed.

"No." His heart dropped from his chest. "No… No. Alex!"

He gathered her into his arms, kissing her face and willing her to respond, but she did not. Sobs began wracking his body as he pulled her to him while his soul shattered.

For what felt like an hour, Dean just stood on the opposite side of the bed watching his brother cradle the body of the woman he loved in his arms as he cried, his sobs the only sound that could be heard. Dean whipped the tear that had escaped his eye from his face. 'I have to be strong for Sammy,' he thought. "Sam, we –" he swallowed the lump in his throat as he fought his emotions, "we need to call Bobby."

Sam nodded his head, unable to speak, as he lowered Alex back down to the bed. His large hand brushed a strand of hair from her face. 'She looks like she's sleeping,' Sam thought. 'She's so beautiful'.   
"I… I can't do it."

"I'll call him then. You uh," Dean sniffed and remove another tear, "get her ready. She'll have a proper funeral." Sam just nodded.

Dean walked outside and pulled out his phone, but immediately put it back. He was not ready to tell Bobby just yet.

******

They drove out to the middle of nowhere so Sam could build the pier. Dean had offered his help, but Sam would have none of it. He wanted to do this himself. So Dean just stood back and watched his baby brother put the final piece of wood in place. Not a single word was spoken as he placed Alex's body on the pier and lit it.

The flames rose high into the night sky as they watched. Tears started to escape Sam's eyes once again. Dean, in an attempt to comfort his brother, placed a hand on his shoulder. Deciding to give his brother some space, Dean turned and walked back to the car to do what he had been putting off for the last few hours. He pulled out his cellphone and called the all too familiar number. It rang twice before someone answered.

"Hello," Bobby said.

"Hey Bobby. It's Dean."

"Where the hell have you been boy?" he asked in agitation.

Dean just stood there. Not knowing what to say. "Bobby…" He had to stop and compose himself. "Bobby it's Alex… She…"

On the other end of the line, Bobby held his breath. "What? What happened?"

His emotions betrayed him as his voice broke. "She's gone, Bobby." There was just silence on the line. "Bobby?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, clearly in denial.

"She's dead. Ruby…," a small sob escaped Dean's lips. "Sam's with her now. He wouldn't leave her. We, uh, we gave her a proper funeral Bobby. Sam wouldn't even let me help him . . ." The line went dead.

******

Anyone passing the rundown old house in the junkyard at that moment would have heard the scream of anguish the old hunter released as he threw the phone across the room before collapsing into his chair as sobs racked his body.

******

It had been nearly three days since Alex had passed, and Sam and Dean still hadn't talked about what had happened. Everywhere they turned there was another sign of the end of days. They couldn't turn on the radio without hearing about something that had happened. That's why they drove on in silence.

The plan was to lay low until they could come up with a way to fight. First thing was first, they needed to find Castiel. The last place Dean had seen him was at Chuck's house, and if anyone knew where he was it would be the prophet.

The house was completely destroyed on the inside. Hearing a noise, the boys quickly turned and saw nothing. Chuck suddenly jumped from around the corner and attacked Sam with a toilet plunger. He stumbled back as he held his head.

"Geeze! Ow!" he said.

"Sam?"

"Yeah!"

Dean chuckled as he said, "Hey, Chuck."

The prophet was relieved to see the two hunters alive. "So . . . you're okay?"

"Well my head hurts," was Sam's reply.

"No, I mean - I mean, my... my last vision. You went, like, full-on Vader and Alex…" realization finally dawned on him. He looked around the room and then back and forth between the brothers. "Where's Alex?" Dean wouldn't look at him. Chuck met Sam's eyes and got all the answer he needed. The grief was so evident that there was no need for words. "Oh god, Sam. . . Sam, I'm so sorry." He walked forward and embraced the tall hunter.

Dean cleared his throat. "Where's Cas?"

"He's dead. Or gone. The archangel smote the crap out of him. I'm sorry."

"Cas you stupid bastard," Dean said as he rubbed at his temples.

"Stupid?" Sam countered. "He was trying to help us."

"Yeah, exactly."

Dean was all out of ideas. Castiel was the only one that really seemed to know what was going on. Without him, they had no idea what they were walking into now that the apocalypse had started.

Chuck's shoulders slumped as he shut his eyes in trepidation. "Oh crap."

"What?" Sam asked.

"I can feel them."

An all too familiar voice behind them drew their attention. "Thought we'd find you here," Zachariah said. He stood proudly before them with two angels flanking him. "Playtime's over, Dean. Time to come with us."

Dean pointed at the angel as he spoke. "You just keep your distance, asshat."

"You're upset," the angel observed.

That was the understatement of the century. They had jumpstarted judgment day and allowed his best friend to die. Of course they weren't willing to take any of the blame. Zachariah's snide comment to Sam made that abundantly clear. What amazed Dean the most was that now they expected him to just step in line and help them fight.

"Cram it with walnuts, ugly," he said.

Zachariah was none too pleased with his answer. "This isn't a game, son. Lucifer and his general are powerful in ways that defy description. We need to strike now, hard and fast before his vessel and the general can take command."

"His vessel?" Sam asked. "Lucifer needs a meat suit?"

"He is an angel. Them's the rules. And when he touches down, we're talking Four Horseman, red oceans, fiery skies . . . the greatest hits. You can stop him, Dean, but you need our help."

"You listen to me, you two-faced douche. After what you did, I don't want jack squat from you!"

"You listen to me, boy!" the angel said in anger. "You think you can rebel against us? As Lucifer did?" Zachariah noticed a drop blood dripping from Dean's hand. "You're bleeding."

"Oh, yeah," Dean said, a cocky smirk forming on his lips. "A little insurance policy in case you dicks showed up." He pulled the door near him shut, revealing the banishing sigil drawn in blood. The angel tried to protest. His words fell of deaf hears as Dean slammed his hand against the marking. "Learned that from my friend Cas, you son of a bitch."

******

Laying low was all the two hunters had done since leaving Chuck's house. Without any sign of Cas they weren't sure what they could do. So, it was time for research. It was a very slow process. After a few hours Sam had gone to stretch his legs.

Dean sighed as he closed yet another book. Research was never really his thing. He had pretty much left that to Sam and Alex. Alex. He missed her terribly. Her witty banter and smart-alecky comebacks had always made the process of doing research a bit more fun. It had annoyed him to no end when she was alive, but now that she was gone, he found himself missing her more and more.

Sam never talked about her. It had only been a week, and it was still far too painful for him to bring up. Sometimes, when he thought nobody was looking, Dean would catch him staring at pictures of the two of them on her phone. They were the only photos he had of her, and he wasn't ready to let go just yet.

Dean ran a hand down his face and pushed back from the table. It was time for a break, so he set about cleaning his gun. Sam reentered the room just as he was reloading it. His brother closed the door behind him before tossing a small bag in his direction.

"Here," Sam said. "Hex bags. No way the angels will find us with those. Demons, either, for the matter."

"Where'd you get it?" Dean asked as he examined the small item.

"I made it."

Dean's eyebrows shot up. "How?"

There was hesitation in Sam's voice as he spoke. "I… I learned it from Ruby."

Ruby and the demon blood was another topic neither of them had approached. From what Dean could tell his brother was fine. When he finally did ask him about it, Sam had confirmed it. With that put to rest, they set about getting back to the matter at hand, cleaning up the mess they had made. And to do that, they had to find the devil, a task that was proving to be quite difficult.

Sam read through his father's journal for the hundredth time while Dean watched the signs of the apocalypse on the news. By now every hunter on the planet knew what was going down. There were just too many signs for it to be a coincidence.

A knock suddenly sounded at the door. Dean pulled his gun on instinct, ready to attack whatever might come through the door. Sam crept forward and looked to make sure Dean was ready before he opened the door. There was no monster on the other side. There was just a young blond woman. She appeared to be so excited that she was having trouble breathing.

"You okay, lady?" Sam asked.

"Sam… is it really you?"

'How the hell does she know my name?'

She took a step towards him and placed a hand on his chest as if she was making sure he was real. "And you're so firm."

Sam was caught completely off guard by the woman's actions. "Uh, do I know you?"

She pulled back slightly, but continued to look up at Sam in wonder.

"No. But I know you. You're Sam Winchester. And you're…" she turned her gaze to Dean, his gun hand out of sight, and looked somewhat disappointed, "… not what I pictured. I'm Becky." She pushed past Sam and moved farther into the room. "I read all about you guys. And I've even written a few…" a nervous giggle escaped her throat as a slight blush spread across her face. "Anyway, Mr. Edlund told me where you were."

"Chuck?" asked Dean.

"He's got a message, but he's being watched." After having a fan freak-out for a minute, the boys were able to make her focus enough to tell them what Chuck had sent her there for. The angels had lost their most powerful weapon… the Michael sword. It was hidden in a castle on a hill made of forty-two dogs, or at least that is what Chuck had said.

"Are you sure you got that right?" Sam asked.

Becky moved closer to him once more. "I memorized every word." She touched his chest again. "For you."

Sam looked to his brother for some help, but Dean seemed far to amused to do anything but watch. It was all making the younger Winchester very uncomfortable. "Um, Becky, c – uh, can you… quit touching me?"

"No," she replied in a breathless gasp.

He placed a hand on her wrist. "Becky, if you really do know everything about me than you know that I . . ." He stopped himself from finishing when he thought about Alex.

"I know." Beck sounded disappointed. "You're in love with Alex." There was a hint of resentment in her voice as she said the hunter's name. Realization finally dawned on her as she looked around the room. "Where is she?"

Sam looked down at her, tears once again coming to his eyes. "She's… she's dead." It was the first time he had actually said it aloud. The words were like a dagger to his heart.

Beck suddenly launched forward and embraced him in a tight hug, trapping his arms at his sides. "Oh you poor thing." She pulled back and looked him directly in the eye. "If you ever need anything just let me know. I mean anything." The double meaning in her words was very clear.

******

It had taken Bobby awhile, but he finally arrived. Dean was the one to great him at the door.

"Hey, Bobby."

Bobby hugged him and slapped him on the back. "Good to see you boys in one piece." He moved over and gave Sam the same hug. The taller hunter grinned slightly. Sam had been afraid to face Bobby after the part he had played in Alex's death, but it seemed like everything was alright.

"You weren't followed, were you?" Dean asked.

"You mean by angels, demons, or Sam's new superfan?"

Sam laughed in embarrassment. "You heard."

"I heard, Romeo. So… sword of Michael, huh?"

The three set about researching what it was they were actually looking for. Every painting they could find referencing Michael showed him with an actual sword in his hands. If they were lucky, it would be a real sword that they could wield. If they were very lucky, the books in front of them would lead them to it before the angels found it.

While Bobby's greeting had been friendly enough, Sam's guilt was still eating away at him. He rose quickly and moved away from the table.

"Kid? You all right?" Bobby asked.

"No, actually. Bobby, this is all my fault. I'm sorry."

"Sam…" Dean knew exactly where his brother was going with all of this. There was no way this was going to end well.

Facing Bobby, Sam tried to swallow past the lump in his throat before he spoke.

"Alex died because of me." Dean tried again to stop his brother, but Sam didn't listen. "She came after me and Ruby stabbed her so she wouldn't get in the way. Lilith did not break the final seal. Lilith was the final seal. I killed her, and I set Lucifer free. Alex tried to stop it, but…" He choked on his words. "You guys warned me about Ruby, the demon blood, but I didn't listen. I brought this on. If I had just listened Alex would still be alive. I'm…"

Bobby stood up so forcefully from the table that his chair fell over. "You're damn right you didn't listen. You were reckless and selfish and arrogant." He advanced towards Sam.

"I'm sorry."

"Oh yeah? You're sorry you started Armageddon? You're sorry you got my little girl killed? This kind of thing don't get forgiven, boy. If, by some miracle, we pull this off… I want you to lose my number. You understand me?"

His reaction was no different than what Sam was expecting, but still, the pain of Bobby's words cut deep. This was the man that he had looked to as more of a father figure than John ever was. He could feel the tension growing in the room.

"There's an old church nearby," Sam said. "Maybe I'll go read some of the lore books there."

"Yeah," said Bobby. "You do that."

Sam walked to the table and gathered a few dusty volumes before quickly exiting the room.

Bobby stared at the door for a minute after Sam left. "I never would have guessed that your daddy was right."

"About what?" asked Dean.

"About your brother." He turned to face Dean. "What John said – you save Sam or kill him. Maybe…"

Dean didn't like where this was headed. "Maybe what?"

"Maybe we shouldn't have tried so hard to save him."

"Bobby."

"He ended the world, Dean. He got Alex killed because she was so focused on saving him that she couldn't cover her own ass. You and I weren't strong enough to stop him proper. That's on us. I'm just saying, your dad was right."

Dean refused to believe that. He always would, but he could not deny a note of truth to the words. At the mention of his father, something clicked in Dean's head. He knew exactly where to find the Michael sword.

******

"So you think your dad had the Michael sword all this time?"

"I don't know. I'm not sure what else Chuck could have meant."

"Yeah. Okay. It's good enough for me."

Bobby lashed out at Dean, knocking him through the barrier between the kitchenette and the two queen-sized beds. He advanced on the younger hunter, pulling him up before slamming him down again as his eyes went black.

Two more demons, a male and female, came through the door.

"I always knew you were a big, dumb, slow, dim pain in the ass, Dean," said the female. "But I never dreamed you were so V.I.P." She picked Ruby's knife up from the table. "I mean, you're gunna ice the devil? You? You're brother's little girlfriend maybe, but not you."

"Ruby," Dean guessed.

"Try again. Go farther back."

"Meg?"

She smiled. After all this time she was finally going to get her revenge on the Winchesters for throwing her out that window so long ago. She handed the knife over to Bobby who raised it to Dean's throat. He began to struggle.

"Bobby!"

The possessed hunter looked back at Meg. "Now!" was her only command. He raised the knife to strike.

"Bobby! No!"

The black faded from his for a moment as the hunter regained control from the demon inside of him. The knife came crashing down. Bobby's eyes flashed gold as the demon inside of him died. He had stabbed himself to save Dean's life. His grip on Dean's throat relaxed as he fell to the floor.

Dean took the opportunity to rush the other demons. The male slammed him into the wall just as his brother returned to see him getting is ass kicked and Bobby lying on the floor bleeding.

"No!" Sam yelled.

"Heya, Sammy," Meg said. "You miss me? 'Cause I sure missed you."

He recognized her instantly. Without his powers, fighting the demons was a lot harder. He had become so accustomed to just raising a hand and exercising them that he was a little rusty at actually fighting them.

Dean landed on the floor next to Bobby and pulled the knife from his stomach and stabbed the demon on top of him. Upon seeing this, Meg quickly made her exit, leaving the brothers to try and save Bobby's life.

******

The doors to the emergency room burst open as they hurtled inside. Bobby was still unconscious as they worked together to carry him.

"Need some help here!" Dean yelled.

A nurse rushed over to them. "What happened?" she asked.

Sam mealy told her he had been stabbed. Two more nurses quickly brought over a gurney. "Hang on, Bobby. Hang in there. You're gunna be okay," Dean yelled as they wheeled his friend away. They moved to follow him, but one of the nurses held up a hand to stop them.

"Just wait here."

"We can't just leave him," Sam said.

"Just don't move. I've got questions."

The moment the nurse was gone, Dean started trying to get Sam to leave. The demons knew where the sword was now. The only way to stop them was to get there first.

******

It hadn't taken that long to reach their dad's storage locker, but the demons still could have beaten them there. So they made sure they had their shotguns loaded and at the ready when they walked in. They did not expect to find the floor littered with the bodies of dead demons.

"I see you told the demons where the sword is."

Dean knew that voice. The brothers turned to find Zachariah before them. Dean couldn't keep the loathing out of his voice. "Oh, thank god. The angels are here."

"And to think… they could have it any time they wanted." He waived his hand and closed the door. "It was right in front of them."

Sam was confused. "What do you mean?"

"We may have planted that particular piece of prophecy inside Chuck's skull, but it happened to be true. We did lose the Michael sword. We truly couldn't find it. Until now. You just hand delivered it to us."

"We don't have anything," Dean countered.

"It's you, chucklehead. You're the Michael sword." The brothers just stared at the angel; his words not fully sinking in. "What, you thought you could actually kill Lucifer? You simpering wad of insecurity and self-loathing? No. You're just a human, Dean. And not much of one." Dean bristled. "You're Michael's weapon. Or, rather, his… receptacle."

"I'm a vessel?"

"You're the vessel. Michael's vessel."

Dean could hardly believe his ears. Either way, it didn't change anything. He was done with the angels. Zachariah would have none of it however. He raised a hand and formed his fingers into the shape of a gun. He pointed it a Dean for a moment before turning to Sam.

"Bang."

There was a loud crunch. Sam fell to the floor screaming in pain, unable to stand.

"You son of a bitch!" Dean yelled.

"Keep mouthing off, I'll break more than his legs. I'll make him relive the moment his precious witch die in his arms over and over again. How's that for fun and games? Hum? I am completely and utterly through screwing around. The war has begun. We don't have our general. That's bad. Lucifer has his. Now we need ours. Michael is going to take his vessel and lead the final charge against the adversary. You understand me?"

Dean knew that saying yes would mean hundreds if not thousands of humans would get caught in the crossfire. The death toll could easily reach into the millions.

"There's a reason you're telling me this instead of just nabbing me. You need my consent. Michael needs my say-so to ride around in my skin."

"Unfortunately, yes."

There had to be another way. Dean was not just going to accept being a meat suit as his only option. Zachariah didn't seem to like it too much when Dean told him to "eat me." He threatened to make sure Bobby never walked again if he didn't say yes. His answer was still no.

"Then how about we heal you from… stage-four stomach cancer?"

Dean doubled over as he began coughing. He could feel a warm coppery liquid in his mouth. He spat into his palm and found that the liquid was his own blood. Still he held fast. "No."

"Then let's get really creative. Uh, let's see how… Sam does without his lungs."

Dean looked to his brother in terror as the younger began gasping for breath.

"Are we having fun yet? You're going to say yes, Dean."

"Just kill us."

"Kill you? Oh, no. I'm just getting started."

A bright light suddenly filled the room. Zachariah turned to see what was happening as one of the other angels at his side collapsed, a bloody hole where is throat used to me. When he looked up, he saw Castiel standing beside him. The other angels tried to fight, but Castiel quickly dispatched them. He now stood toe to toe with Zachariah.

"How are you…?"

"Alive? That's a good question. How did these two end up at that motel? Another good question. 'Cause the angels didn't do it. I think we both know the answer, don't we?"

The threat was clear in the resurrected angel's voice. Zachariah vanished. The boys looked around in surprise as Castiel healed them.

"You two need to be more careful."

"Yeah I'm starting to get that," Dean said. "Your frat brothers are bigger dicks than I thought."

"I don't mean the angels. Lucifer is circling his vessel. And once he takes it, those hex bags won't be enough to protect you." Castiel put a hand on either of the boy's chests and burned Enochian sigils into their bones so they could not be traced. He was about to leave when Sam stopped him.

"Wait, what about Bobby?"

"Your friend will be fine."

"Thanks Cas," said Dean. "They said Lucifer had his general. Do you know who it is?"

"No. I would say Abaddon, but the Knights of Hell are no more."

"Well, at least they didn't get Alex."

"You're wrong Dean," Castiel replied. "When Sam's eyes went black..."

Dean turned to his brother in shock. "You're eyes went black?"

"I... I didn't know." He was completely dumbfounded. After looking around wildly for a moment, Sam looked at Castiel. "What happened?"

The angel sighed. "When your eyes went black," he continued, "Alex accepted her birthright to stop you from becoming a demon."

Sam's heart fell to his stomach. "What?" His voice was shaky.

"By becoming the Mayfair, she had dominion over demons. The amount of demon blood you consumed was transforming you into one. She used her powers to pull it from you. Had she not done this, you would no longer be yourself."

Tears came to Sam's eyes. Not only had he started the Apocalypse and gotten Alex killed, he had backed her into a corner where the only thing she could do was say yes. The one thing she swore she would never do she did to keep him safe. Because of him, she died a monster.

"Well," Dean said. "She's beyond anyone's reach now."

Sam stumbled back into the wall and slide to the floor as the tears began falling down his face. 'What have I done?'

******

Being stuck in the hospital was one thing, but being ordered to stay in bed for two whole days was another. Bobby was becoming the bane of the nursing staff's existence. Every time someone would come in to check his vitals or give him a sponge bath he went postal. There was no need for him to still be in bed. Castiel had healed him. He was perfectly fine. If those "stupid nurses would pull their heads out of their asses" he'd be home by now.

He would have made a break for it, but Sam and Dean were doing a pretty good job of making sure he followed doctor's orders. They knew Castiel had healed him. He was fine. They just didn't want to push it and risk losing another member of their family that soon.

"So," Sam said, "let me ask the million-dollar question. What do we do now?

"Well," Bobby replied. "We save as many as we can for as long as we can I guess. It's bad. Whoever wins, Heaven or Hell, we're boned."

Dean had been sitting in the corner listening until this point. "What if we win?" he asked. Everyone turned and stared at him. He had sounded so confident about their chances, it surprised them all. "I'm serious. I mean, screw the angels and the demons and their crap apocalypse. It's their fault we lost Alex. Hell, they want to fight a war; they can find their own planet. This one's ours, and I say they get the hell off it. We take 'em all on. We kill the devil. Hell, we even kill Michael if we have to. But we do it our own damn selves, and we get revenge for Alex."

"And how are we supposed to do all this, genius?" Bobby asked.

"I got no idea. But what I do have is a GED and a give-'em-hell attitude, and I'll figure it out."

It was stupid. It was crazy, but there really was nothing else they could do. Just sitting by and watching was not an option. There was no real need to discuss it any more. They all nodded in agreement before the boys turned to leave.

Bobby called out. "Sam?" The boys paused at the door. Sam turned to face him. "I was awake. I know what I said back there. I just want you to know that…that was the demon talking. I ain't cutting you out boy. Not ever."

There was a long pause. "Thanks Bobby. That… it's means a lot."

"You're welcome. I deserve a damn medal for this, but . . . you're welcome."

With that the boys finally left Bobby to his thoughts. There was a book on the table next to his bed, his journal. He opened it up and a picture fell out. He held it up to look at it, a small smile gracing his features. It was a picture of Dean, Sam, and Alex leaning against the Impala. It had to of been taken at least two years ago. Sam and Dean were leaning against the hood of the car. Sam had his arms wrapped around Alex as she smiled brilliantly at the camera and leaned back into his chest while he looked down at her, a look of love evident on his face. Dean stood next to the two of them, beer in hand, looking over at the two love birds. He was smiling too, well almost. It was his amused half smile.

Bobby put the picture away as a tear slide down his cheek. That picture had reminded him of a very somber fact. Alex had been the center of their universe, all of them. When times were at their worst she had been the glue that held them all together. Now, just when they needed her the most, she was gone. The apocalypse had come, and they had no center of gravity to move towards and keep them all in one piece.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment to let me know what you think.
> 
> And don't worry. It isn't over yet.


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> italics are internal thoughts

Bobby sent the boys to River Pass, Colorado after receiving a very garbled phone call from Rufus. The town name was one of the only things the hunter was able to make out. Other than that there was only one word. Demons.

 

Dean brought the Impala to a stop at the edge of a collapsed bridge. "This is the only road in or out," he said.

Sam pulled out his cell phone and held it up in search of a signal. There was none to be found. "No signal."

"Rufus was right. Demons got this place locked down."

The boys looked around for a moment to see if they could find some way to get across. Jumping the car came to mind for Sam, but that wasn't an option. Dean would probably kill him for suggesting it for starters. Making the jump would hard enough with a ramp. They didn't have one so the chances of them actually making the 25 foot jump were slim to none.

"Looks like we're hiking in," Sam said.

"And the hits just keep on coming."

They boys quickly moved to the trunk and grabbed a few extra weapons before beginning the trek into town.

* * *

The streets were completely deserted. Cars were parked on either side of the road, but there was not a soul in sight. A blue two-door sedan was even overturned in the middle of the road. Sam leaned down to check the car. It was empty. Music could be heard in the background; growing louder the farther they got into town.

Sam found the source of the music, a tan car on the right side of the street. The driver's side door was open while the engine was running. They readied their weapons, but the car was just as empty as the others they had seen. Sam turned off the engine. Silence descended over them.

Out of the corner of his eye, Sam saw a woman in a red dress standing at the end of the street. He quickly turned his head to call out to her, but nobody was there. He started turning and looking around for her.

"What?" Dean asked.

"Nothing. I just thought I saw someone."

They continued on with their investigation. Dean stopped to appreciate a cherry red classic Mustang. It was empty, so they move on. There was a blood stain near a silver minivan. Whoever had been there lost a lot of blood. A gun cocked behind them. Dean whipped around, leveling his shotgun as he turned. Seeing their attacker, the boys lowered their guns.

"Ellen?" Sam asked.

"Hello boys." She lowered her own weapon.

Dean asked, "Ellen, what the heck's going on here?"

She splashed Dean in the face with holy water and raised her gun again. Dean closed his eyes and gritted his teeth as he let the water drip off of him. "We're us." She lowered her gun yet again and began leading the boys towards the church.

A devils trap was drawn just inside the door, and a line of salt stretched across the threshold. As soon as they were all inside, Ellen turned to the boys. "Real glad to see you boys." She embraced Dean tightly before pulling back and slapping him. "The can of whoopass I out to open on you."

"Ow!"Dean exclaimed as her rubbed his head where Ellen had hit him. Sam tried not to laugh at his brother.

"You can't pick up a phone? What are you, allergic to giving me peace of mind? I got to find out that you're alive from Rufus?"

"Sorry, Ellen."

"Yeah, you better be. You better put me on speed dial kid."

"Yes, ma'am."

There was a pause before she turned to Sam. "Rufus told us about Alex." Sam swallowed a lump in his throat as Ellen embraced him. "She was a good girl. Good hunter."

"Yeah, she was," he managed to choke out.

* * *

A man in a suit walked quietly up the stairs to the bell tower where he found her waiting. She stood with her back to him and her arms crossed as she looked out the window, the red halter dress hugging her shapely figure. Even though she did not turn to acknowledge him, he could tell she knew he was there.

"The Winchesters are here," he said.

She never even turned to face him. "Bring the younger one to me," she said. " I don't care what you do with Dean, but bring Sam Winchester to me. I will deal with him myself."

"As you wish."

* * *

"What's going on Ellen?" Dean asked.

"More than I can handle alone." Ellen was leading them through the church to the back room everyone was hiding in.

"How many demons are there?" Sam asked.

"Pretty much the whole town, minus the dead people and these guys." She paused at the door and turned to the boys. "So this is it right? End times?" They cast knowing glances at each other.

"Seems like it," Sam said.

Ellen nodded. "Well at least they didn't get Alex. Things would be a whole lot worse if they had."

The words were like a dagger in Sam's side. They had gotten her, but she had been so hell-bent on saving him that she'd died before she could take her place as the Mayfair. The image of her bloody body assaulted him again. Every time someone mentioned her he flashed back to the moment she died.

"Sam?" Ellen was looking back at him as she held the door to the towns "safe room" open. "You okay?" she asked.

Her voice snapped him out of the memory. He nodded before following her into the room.

Ellen introduced them. "This is Sam and Dean. They're hunters. Here to help."

A young man named Austin spoke up. "You guys hip to this whole demon thing?"

"Yeah," Dean replied. "Are you?"

"My wife's eyes turned black," said a man in a suit and glasses named Roger. "She came at me with a brick. Kind of makes you embrace the paranormal." He brought his right hand up to his chin, contemplating his ring.

Dean turned to Ellen. "All right, catch us up."

"I doubted I know much more than you. Rufus called. Said he was in town investigating omens. All of a sudden, the whole town was possessed. Me and Jo were nearby..."

This surprised the boys. She had always been so against Jo hunting, claimed her daughter couldn't handle living that kind of life. If she was going to hunt, Ellen hunting with her meant that at least she could keep an eye on her daughter. That hadn't gone so well. Jo was out there somewhere with the enemy. Now they had to get her back.

The survivors had once numbered twenty. Now it was just the ten in the room with them. Roger sat in the corner playing with his ring. Others were looking at the floor contemplating their fate. A pregnant woman startled slightly but tried to stay calm.

"Well," Dean said, "there's three of us now."

"You don't know what it's like out there," Ellen said. "Demons are everywhere. We won't be able to cover everybody."

The pregnant woman kept getting more nervous as they discussed made plans to go look for Jo and find a way out of town for the others. They were going to go to the sporting goods store to get extra guns and munitions to help protect themselves when they made a run for it.

"All right," said Sam. "You stay. We'll go." Ellen tried to ask them about the other two hunters in town, but Sam cut her off. "If Jo and Rufus are out there, we'll bring them back."

Austin opened the door for the boys. As soon as they were outside Dean stopped his brother. "Whoa whoa whoa whoa. Hold on. Why don't I just go?"

"What? Alone?"

"Well yeah. Somebody's got to stay here and start giving them Shotgun 101."

"Yeah. Ellen." Sam started to go up the stairs, but Dean reached out and stopped him.

"No no no. It's gunna go a lot faster if you stay and help, okay?"

This was ridiculous. There was no way Dean was going to be able to carry everything on his own. That would be hard enough; no way he could do that and look for the others. Then it suddenly hit him.

"You don't want me going out there," Sam said.

"I didn't say that."

"Around demons."

"I didn't say that."

"Then what is it, Dean?"

"You can't watch my back if you're distracted?" Sam looked at him in confusion. Dean sighed. "You're heads not in the game here Sammy."

"What are you talking about?"

"Alex." Sam stared at his brother in shock while he tried to fight back the pain the mention of her name brought up. "Every time something reminds you of her you go to some other place and stop paying attention to what's going on around you." Sam tried to protest, but Dean stopped him. "I get it I do. Hell I miss her too., but I can't have you rushing off to join her."

Sam was stunned. Did Dean really thing that he was in a hurry to meet Alex in the hereafter. "Dean, I'm not… I don't what to die if that's what you think. I just… I loved her, Dean. She was like a part of me, and I… I can't imagine my life without her. I'm sorry if I haven't been on point lately. Really, I am. Dean, she made me happier than I even thought was possible. When Jess died I thought that was it, but she showed me how wrong I was." He paused to take a deep breath and try to get his out of control emotions back under control. "It's just going to take me a while to get over this, hell maybe I never will, but… but I can't just do nothing. Hunting makes me feel better. It makes me feel like she didn't die for nothing. Dean… if I stop… then it was all for nothing, and I… I can't let her have died for nothing."

What Sam said hit Dean hard. He could understand where his brother was coming from. Alex had meant a lot to all of them. Not having her there had left a huge hole in all of their lives. It only made sense that they would want to fill it. Bobby was pouring over lore for clues as to where the demons would strike next. Dean had been spending more time in bars, and Sam was constantly trying to find another hunt. They were all trying to deal with her death. They just all had different ways of doing it.

"All right," Dean said. "Let's go."

They left without another word.

* * *

Splitting up was the fastest way for them to get everything they needed. Dean went for the weapons while Sam got supplies. He was filling plastic bags with cans of rock salt when he heard the door chime. Thinking it was his brother, Sam paused his packing and stood. What he saw was not his brother. Two demons entered. One carried a baseball bat, the other a backpack. Sam ducked out of sight and used a mirror to keep an eye on them. _Shit,_ he thought when he realized that his weapon was out of reach. He tried to reach it without drawing their attention, but he failed. A fight ensued.

Sam soon found himself slammed into a group of shelves with a hand around his neck. He started to say the exorcism ritual as he clocked the demon with a can of rock salt. It barely phased the monster. It knocked the can out of Sam's hand. The demon was so focused on the salt that he missed Sam's other hand going for the demon knife. Sam drew the blade and plunged it into the demon's chest.

He looked around for the other demon. It jumped him from behind before being stabbed in the neck. His eyes did not flash like most demons, but Sam didn't notice. He was staring at the blood dripping from the blade to the floor. It mesmerized him. He ran his thumb along the blade and studied the red liquid.

The door chimed again. Sam quickly took cover and watched the mirror. This time it was his brother. Dean called out to him as he came around the corner. His throat tightened when he saw his brother surrounded by his poison of choice and instantly assumed the worst.

* * *

Ellen couldn't help but notice the tension between the boys when they returned with the supplies. Barely two words were spoken the entire time they dispersed the weapons and showed the others how to use them. Now that they were back out searching for Jo she couldn't keep it to herself any longer.

"So what's up with you and Dean?"

Sam looked over at her briefly before turning his gaze back to where they were headed. An ambush was the last thing they wanted. He didn't respond.

"It was hard not to notice, how different things are between you guys these days." Sam still didn't say anything. "Lot of bad road there, huh? What happened? It got something to do with Alex getting killed?" Sam stopped and looked at her. The look on his face spoke volumes, and made Ellen immediately regret what she said. "I'm sorry, Sam. I shouldn't have said anything. I know you loved her. We all did."

"Just," Sam tried to restrain his emotions at the mention of his loves name, "stress of the job. You know how it is." He quickly tried to change topics. "Kind of surprised, you and Jo hunting. Weren't you always saying she couldn't hack the life?"

"She can't. But if she's gunna do it anyway…"

"You want to keep an eye on her." Ellen nodded. "We're gunna find her, and once we do don't… just keep her close. You don't want to take for granted that she'll always be there."

The meaning of his words were loud and clear. It was obvious to Ellen that he was talking about Alex. She placed a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. He gave her a half smile before turning his gaze back to the horizon. There was smoke rising from behind the tree line.

"Hey," he said as pointed.

"Is that a chimney going?"

"Looks like it. Come on."

They moved forward as quietly as possible. There was indeed a house with smoke coming from the chimney. It looked like they had found the demon's base camp. There was just one problem, demons don't get cold.

Sam started to move around the corner as Ellen was grabbed from behind. Sam whirled around and slammed his gun into the black-eyed demon. Another demon appeared and pinned Ellen to the wall with a gun of their own. Jo was suddenly standing in front of Ellen. Her gun trained on her head.

"Don't move, you evil skank!" she yelled.

Sam continued to fight a losing battle against the demons. The one holding Ellen moved to help restrain Sam. Jo pressed her mother up against the wall with her own gun as her eyes went black.

Ellen's heart began to race as she stared down the barrel of her daughter's gun. "Don't you hurt her, don't you…"

"Give me my mom back you black-eyed bitch!"

Ellen shoved Jo away and slammed the butt of her gun into her. She could hear Sam yelling at her to run. He was losing his battle quickly. "Run." That's exactly what she did.

* * *

He walked into the room and saw her standing with her back to him yet again. Her arms were crossed over her chest just as before while she looked out at the town. "Well?" she asked.

"They have the younger Winchester," he said.

"Then where is he?"

"I have a plan. I can't bring him to you just yet."

Her eyes darkened. "You're not going to disappoint me are you?"

The man in the suit gulped. "No ma'am."

"Good. Let me know when it's done, and remember. I want Sam brought to me alive."

* * *

Sam groaned as he slowly came too. Blinking twice, he looked around the room to find a fireplace with a lit fire nest to him. The last thing he remembered was Rufus standing over him. He tried to move, but he was tied to the chair. As he tried to get his bearings he heard a voice say, "Uh-uh. No way you're getting out of those." It was Rufus. "Did you up myself. You're stuck right where I want you, you evil son of a bitch."

Pain exploded across the side of Sam's face as Rufus' fist made contact with his head. He looked to his assailant and found Rufus and Jo standing before him, their eyes black. Before he could speak, Jo splashed him in the face with water. She looked perplexed by his reaction before reaching for a canister of salt.

Sam suddenly realized what was going on. _They think I'm a demon._ He tried to get them to see reason. His pleas fell on deaf ears as his head was forced back and salt poured down his throat as Rufus started to recite the exorcism ritual.

Sam screamed, "Stop! Please!"

* * *

Dean paced the floor restlessly as he waited for Sam and Ellen to return. The pastor constantly reciting "The Lord's Prayer" was starting to get on his nerves. With everything they had learned about Heaven and Hell, angels and demons; he knew that nobody was listening. Cas may be looking for God, but Dean didn't expect him to find the deity.

Someone pounded on the door. Dean strode purposefully over and pulled back the peephole. What he saw surprised him. Ellen entered the room alone.

"Where's Sam?" Dean asked.

Ellen just shook her head as she sat down and gladly took a bottle of water from the young woman next to her.

Some of the other's in the room instantly began to panic. If the demons could take down one of those sent to save them, what chance did they have?

Dean assured them that they were safe in the room before grabbing a shotgun and heading for the door. "Everybody sit tight. I got to…" He paused with his hand on the doorknob. He was about to say he had to go after his brother, but something stopped him. He turned and looked at the faces of the dozen or so people that were counting on him to save them. _Sonofabitch!_ "Okay," he said. "We need to get a plan together. Tell me everything."

* * *

Sam continued to beg and plead with Rufus and Jo. "Look! Something's not right! Do you see that?" Jo threw more of what could only be holy water on him. He spat a mouthful of the liquid out and tried to reason with them again.

Jo moved to the side enough for Sam to be able to see the door. Roger was standing in the doorway turning the ring on his right hand. Sam's eyes darted around the room. When they reached the celling he saw that he was under a rather large and elaborate devil's trap.

"Listen!" he cried.

Jo and Rufus huddled in the corner trying to figure out what was going on. Every time they looked at Sam his eyes were black, but nothing seemed to be working on him. "Look, listen to me, something's not right! You can see that. Please. Please. Just listen to me."

* * *

Ellen and Dean sat talking about what had happened when she and Sam had gone searching for the others. The female hunter suddenly paused as something occurred to her.

"It called me a bitch," she said, referring to what was once her daughter.

"Bruise a little easy, don't you think?" Dean asked.

"No that's not what I meant." She looked the younger hunter square in the eye. "It called me a black-eyed bitch." Dean's brow furrowed as he thought about what she said. "What kind of demon's are these? Holy water and salt roll right off. My daughter may be an idiot, but she's not stupid. She wears an anti-possession charm. It's all kind of weird right?"

Dean agreed. "The whole thing's off."

If they were going to get to the bottom of this they would need to know how it all started. Ellen told Dean about the water omen Rufus had come to town to investigate. It had all started on the same day Lucifer was freed.

"Anything else?" Dean asked. "Anything?"

Austin spoke up. "Maybe, but it's pretty random."

"Good. Random's good."

"Shooting star… does that count?" The two hunters looked at each other. "Real big. Same night. Wednesday."

"That definitely counts," said Dean.

He stood and moved to the bookshelf. He searched for a moment before pulling a book from the shelf and returning to the table. He quickly sat the Bible down and found the passage he was looking for. He read aloud, " 'And there fell a great star from Heaven, burning like a torch, and if fell upon the river, and the name of the star was wormwood. And many men died.' "

The preacher was the next to speak. "Revelations 8:10. Are you saying that this is about the apocalypse?"

"You could say. And these specific omens, they're a prelude to what?"

"The Four Horseman," he said with a gulp.

Dean remembered the cherry red Mustang he saw on the way into town. "And which one rides the red horse?"

"War."

It made sense. If War was indeed in town, he would be looking to start a fight. What better way to do that than to get everyone thinking that the others were possessed.

* * *

Sam was alone in the room. The ropes tying him to the chair were starting to dig into his skin. Hearing footsteps, he looked up and saw Roger walking towards him.

"Who the hell are you?" Roger took off his glasses. "What are you?"

"You caught me," he said. "Popped in to watch. I can hustle like that, besides I need to make sure they don't do any permanent damage to that hide. Orders and all that."

The real Roger was buried in a ditch just outside of town. This "man" that Sam was looking at was not all he seemed to be. "So who are you?"

Roger smiled. "Here's a hint." He started to list the places he had been. It wasn't until he mentioned his three siblings that Sam suddenly realized who he was, War.

"I know who you are. There aren't any demons in town, are there?"

"Nope. Just frightened people ripping each other's throats out. I really haven't had to do too much. Take out a bridge here, lay in a little hallucination there, sit back, pop some corn, watch the show. Frankly, you're really vicious little animals, Sam."

"No. You're doing this."

War smiled. "Please. Last week, this was Mayberry. Now these people are stabbing each other's children. You and your brother showing up was just icing on the cake. Start another battle, and bring the Queen what she wants the most. It's a two for one special."

Sam was suddenly confused. "What do you mean? What queen?"

"The Queen of Hell," War said. "She's the one calling the shots while Lucifer finds his vessel."

 _She's the general,_ Sam thought. _Whoever this queen is, she is leading the demons._

"You aren't going to win," said Sam. "We'll find a way to stop you."

"Oh please," said War. "You can't stop anything. I can see inside your head and man it is one-track city in there. Alex, Alex, Alex. Guild. Sorrow. Alex. Same as always. You used that little girlfriend of yours as an excuse to do everything you know you shouldn't. It was all for her, to save here. And look how that turned out. You got her killed." Sam looked down, unable to meet the horseman's eye anymore. "Good intentions – quick slide to Hell, buddy boy. You feel bad now? Wait till you're thigh deep in warm corpses. Because, my friend, I'm just getting started." He stood and put his glasses back on. "Showtime for the meatsuits. Watch this."

War twisted his ring, and blood began to flow from his forehead. He kicked over his chair before falling to the floor screaming. The others, hearing his distress, came running in.

"He did it!" War screamed. Sam protested his guilt. "He said they're coming! He said they're coming to get him, to kill us! We can us him as bait to draw the others in and then kill them all. We won't be able to leave as long as they're alive." Even as War said these things, he was planning a way to free Sam and take him to his mistress. She only said he was to be unharmed, and with it coming down to the wire, well. . . it was probably best to get him out of the line of fire.

Sam could sense Rufus and Jo's moods changing. They believed what the horseman said. He had to try to get through to them. "No stop! Jo, Rufus, he's lying! No!" Rufus told him to shut his mouth, but he kept protesting, earning him a backhand to the face.

* * *

Convincing the survivors in the church that there were no demons and War was in town was proving to be quite difficult for Dean. It wasn't helped when War himself came pounding on the door telling them all the demons were going to kill them.

"They know we're trying to leave," he said. "They said they're gunna pick us off one by one."

"Wait wait wait. What?" Dean asked. It wasn't possible. There was no way that some random guy would hear a demon's master plan and get away.

"I thought you said there were no demons."

"There's not. Where did you go?"

War was clever. He knew the eldest Winchester would be hard to convince. Lucky for him, he did not need to convince the hunter. Only the survivors needed to believe him, and they were so terrified that they were ready to believe anything. As they argued, he held up his right hand and twisted his ring before pointing at Dean and Ellen.

"Look at their eyes!" he yelled. "They're demons!"

To all in the room, the two hunter's eyes appeared black. Gasps and screams filled the air as the pastor raised a shotgun. Dean yelled for Ellen to go as they both turned and ran, shots just missing their heads.

* * *

The queen stood in the bell tower and watched the hunters flee the church. Her patience was growing thin. Relying on War to bring her Sam Winchester was not her first choice. He enjoyed his little games far too much.

Sam had already been captured. Why he had not been brought to her already was beyond her. Patience was not her best virtue. The sooner the younger Winchester was in her clutches, and the sooner they could move to faze two of the plan the better.

True, she could just march down there and take him herself, but that would expose her to the others. It was too early for that. Introductions would be made all in due time. For now, she would just have to wait and watch. She'd get her day in the sun soon enough.

* * *

Sam continued to try freeing himself from his binds, but it was no use. They wouldn't budge. "Aaaah!" he screamed in frustration. With War on the loose, there was no telling what was going on out there or if Dean was even still alive.

The sound of an explosion caused Sam to freeze. It was close, too close. He could hear fighting going on. The battle had finally found him, and he was stuck in a chair. He flinched slightly as the door flew open to reveal his brother.

"Dean," he said. "It's not demons."

The brothers spoke in unison. "It's War."

"I just can't figure out how he's doing it," Dean said.

Sam had the answer. "The ring."

Dean thought about it, and it made sense. Every time something happened War had turned his ring. If they could get ahold of it, they could end this.

"Dean," Sam said. "The general, it's the Queen of Hell."

"What?"

"I talked to War. He said he was under orders."

"Well than who's the queen? I thought that was supposed to be Alex. She's dead, so who's pulling the strings now?"

At the mention of Alex's death, Sam had to fight the all too familiar flashback that threatened to draw him in again. He shut his eyes against the image and swallowed the lump in his throat. "I don't know," he said in a strained voice.

"We got to move," said Dean as he finished untying his brother. "Come on."

They walked from the living room into a warzone. Rufus was screaming for people to stop firing, but nobody seemed to listen. Off to the distance Dean could see War trying to sneak away. He grabbed Sam's arm and pointed out the horseman.

* * *

War walked up to the Mustang and looked over his shoulder to make sure he wasn't followed. His plan had worked perfectly. The stupid humans would kill each other, and once they were all dead the Queen could walk into the house and greet Sam however she pleased. He didn't know what she had planned for him, but he was sure that it wasn't pleasant.

He reached for the door, but found himself thrown against the vehicle by the Winchesters. He laughed.

Dean held him down while Sam drew Ruby's knife.

"Whoa," said War. "Okay. That's a sweet little knife. But come on. You can't kill war, kiddos."

"Oh we know," Dean said as Sam slammed War's right hand against the Mustang and cut all four of his fingers off.

The horseman screamed in pain as his ring clinked against the pavement. The visions of demons vanished as did War himself. Dean picked up the ring. The sound of clicking heals could be heard. Sam turned his head in the direction of the sound, and for a brief moment, he thought he saw a woman in red at the end of the street walking away from them. He blinked, and she was gone.

* * *

Everything was silent once again as the two brothers sat at a picnic table on the edge of town. Dean was the first to break the silence.

"So, pit stop at Mount Doom?"

Sam remained silent for a moment. His face scrunched slight as the thought. "Dean…" he began.

"Sam let's not."

"No listen." Sam took a deep breath before continuing. "This is important. I know you don't trust me." Dean looked away. "Just, now I realize something. I don't trust me either." Dean was a little surprised by his brother's statement. "For the past few days I can't stop thinking about… I tell myself it'll be okay and I'll get over in in time. It feels true, you know? I… I started all of it to keep Alex safe, to keep her alive, but…but I got her killed. Every time I…" his voice broke, "every time someone mentions her name or I think about her, I... I can feel her lying in my arms while she bleeds to death." A tear rolled down his cheek as he shut his eyes against his recurring nightmare. "I can still see her Dean, lying there. It was all my fault, and… and I can't blame the blood or Ruby or… anything. The problem's me. How far I'll go. There's something in me that… scares the hell out of me, Dean. I… I just couldn't live with myself if I was the reason something happened to you too."

"So what are you saying?" asked Dean.

"I'm in no shape to be hunting. I… I can't keep focus. I need to step back, 'cause I'm dangerous. Maybe it's best we go our separate ways for a while."

Dean considered his brother's words. "Well, I think you're right."

"I was expecting a fight."

"The truth is I spend more time worrying about you than about doing the job right. And I just, I can't afford that, you know? Not now."

It was the truth. Both of them knew it. That didn't mean that Sam wasn't surprised at how easily his brother had accepted his decision. He had spent the past several minutes preparing himself for Dean's retorts. Thinking about logical arguments he could make to convince him, but none were needed.

"I'm sorry, Dean."

"I know you are, Sam." Dean watched his brother rise from the table. It hurt to see his little brother go. "Hey, do you, uh, wanna take the Impala?"

The gesture was not lost on Sam. He knew that Dean loved that car. Offering it to him showed him that no matter what, he was still his brother. He still loved him.

"It's okay," Sam said. "Take care of yourself Dean."

"Yeah, you too, Sammy."

Dean didn't watch his brother collect his things from the car. When he heard a truck stop, he raised his head and watched his brother walk to the passenger seat, climb into the vehicle, and drive away.

* * *

"I told you to bring me Sam Winchester," the Queen bellowed. "Instead, you let him and his brother take your ring and walk away."

War held his bloody hand as he sat on his knees in front of his queen. Her eyes burned with such fire that he was unable to look at her as he spoke. "I'm sorry. I thought that they were taken care of. I…"

"I did not want them taken care of! All I asked of you was one simple thing. Bring Sam Winchester to me unharmed, and you, ha, you couldn't even do that. Tell me, why should I even keep you around?"

He chuckled. "With all due respect your majesty, I'm not a demon. You can't kill me."

"That's true," she said. "You're one of Lucifer's… special little friends. You are a Horseman. One who has lost his ring and therefore no longer has his powers. You are nothing." War looked at her with something akin to horror on his face. "Your power is gone. You will never again walk freely on this earth." She gave him a wicked smile. "Now leave." He did not move. "Go! Before I cut off the rest of your fingers myself!"

The horseman did as she asked and vanished from her sight. She turned back to look out the window and watched the storm roll in. She grabbed the pendant at her throat and held it in an attempt to calm herself as she watched to storm clouds roll in. A clap of thunder could be heard as she released a breath she di dnt know she was holding as a raspy voice behind her caught her attention.

"Your majesty."

She turned, a pleased smirk on her face. "Hello my friend. Tell me. Are you ready to begin your journey?"

He gasped for breath as he spoke. "I'm still too weak."

"Tell me. What is it that you require to grow stronger?"

Slow evil smiles grew across their faces as they looked at one another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave kudos and comments.


	36. Chapter 36

When Sam decided to walk away from hunting for the second time in his life, he chose to pick a far more out of the way place than a university. Hitchhiking with a few different drivers eventually brought him to the sleepy little town of Garber, Oklahoma. It seemed as good a place as any.

Sam had the driver drop him off outside a rundown little inn. It was not the worst place he had ever stayed. In fact compared to a couple places it was a luxury.

Throwing his bag down on the bed, he searched for his collection of fake ids. He placed all of them in the sink before dousing them in lighter fluid. As he watched them burn, he could feel his old life slipping away. Tomorrow he would go out and find some sort of job that would keep food in his belly and a roof over his head until he decided it was time to move on.

Leaving was inevitable for him. There was too much baggage, to many ghosts from his past that would be trying to find him. It was best to just get by for a while and move when the time was right. That meant no forming any real attachments. Sam wanted to stay as invisible as possible.

* * *

There was a small bar about five blocks away from the motel that had a help wanted sign in the window. Sam had first seen it when he went looking for the grocery store the night before. Walking in, it almost reminded him of the roadhouse. It had the same wooden floors and open feel. All of your typical bar games like pool and darts were present. There was even an old jukebox playing classic rock in the corner.

Sam stood there studying the room.

"Can I help you?" a pretty young blonde asked.

As he looked down at her, Sam couldn't help but notice that she was rather pretty. There was an expectant look on her face as she waited for his answer.

"Yeah," Sam said. "I was looking for the owner. I saw the help wanted sign and wanted to talk to him about a job."

She smiled. "Sure. Hey Tommy!" she yelled over her shoulder. A balding overweight man behind the bar looked their way. "He's here about a job."

Tommy whipped his hands off on the towel that was slung over his shoulder as he makes his way towards the pair. "Good luck," the blonde said before walking away. Sam gave his thanks before looking back at the owner.

"So," Tommy said. "You're lookin' for work?"

"Yeah."

"You ever tend bar before?"

Sam assured him that he had worked in bars for years, and that was true. Of course he had been hustling pool or stealing people's hard earned money in a game of darts. That qualified as work right?

"I'm not gunna lie." The old man put his hands on his hips as he continued to look up at Sam. "The job sucks. Long hours, not a lot of pay. I've been through three bartenders in the last two months. You'd be working open to close four days a week. Pays min-wage, but you can make more than that in tips. It's not much, but this is a small town. We don't have a whole lot to work with."

There was no hint of any sort of reaction on Sam's face. It remained as blank as he could physically manage. Tommy sighed and hung his head. There was no way this guy was going to take the job.

"I'll take it," Sam said.

Tommy's eyes shot up. Surly this guy was joking, but when he examined Sam's face there was no joking at all. "What's your name kid?"

"Keith."

"Well Keith," Tommy stuck his hand out to shake Sam's, "welcome aboard. Can you start now?"

Sam chuckled, "Sure."

"Lindsey!" The pretty blonde from earlier walked back over to the two men. "Show Keith here the ropes. He's gunna be are new bartender."

She gave him a flirtatious smile. "Follow me." Sam gave a nervous chuckle as he shoved his hands in his pockets and followed the girl across the bar.

* * *

His first few days of work had gone rather well. Lindsey kept trying to flirt with him. Sam would give her a polite smile and try to put her down as gently as possible. Most of the days passed the same way. He showed up in the afternoon and made sure everything was stocked and ready for when the bar opened. He made polite conversation with the patrons and his coworkers, but Sam never really said much about himself. Whenever someone asked about his life he would just tell him that there wasn't much to tell and redirect the conversation.

Late at night once all the patrons had left, Sam would wash down the bar with soap and water. They'd take turns picking songs from the jukebox. Most of the time Sam didn't take much notice as to what was playing, but one night he was taken completely off guard.

It was Lindsey's turn to choose the music. Before going to the jukebox, she sat down a crate of freshly washed glasses near Sam. She gave him her best seductive look.

"Any special requests?" she asked.

Sam looked up from where he was washing the bar top. "Not really." He went back to his work without a thought. The first few chords of an all too familiar country song filled the air. Sam stopped his work and stared into empty space as he was transported back to a country bar from years before.

* * *

_Sam couldn't believe that Alex had convinced him to dance, but here he was. She seemed almost delicate in his arms as he encompassed her hand in his much larger one. A brilliant smile graced her features as she gazed up at him. It was in that moment that Sam knew he loved her._

_He pulled her closer as they danced, their bodies flush against one another. Alex rested her head on his shoulder. It was the closest to pure bliss that Sam had ever been. Leaning down, he enveloped himself in her scent and the soft touch of her skin as they swayed to the voices floating in the air._

* * *

"Keith?"

The sound of Lindsey's voice broke Sam from the memory. He shook his head slightly before turning his head to look at her.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, why?"

"You just zoned out there for a minute."

Sam gave her what he thought was a reassuring smile. "Just thinking. I'm fine." He returned to scrubbing the counter.

Lindsey gave him a questioning look for a moment before shrugging it off and going about her work.

Sleep didn't come to Sam that night. He just kept reliving his first dance with Alex over and over again as he lay in bed all alone.

* * *

It was a slow night at the bar, so Lindsey decided to kill some time by throwing darts. She had already cleaned everything in back twice. She even read the paper that was sitting at the table. As she went to grab the darts she couldn't help but notice Keith behind the bar with Tommy. He was most likely giving him the rest of the night off since it was so slow.

He was one of the most gorgeous men she had ever seen in her life. There were clearly some nice muscles hiding beneath the t-shirt and button down he had on. Sometimes when he reached up above his head the bottom of his shirt would rise up just high enough for her to catch a small glimpse of what was most assuredly washboard abs.

Nobody really knew much about him. He was always kind to everyone in the bar, and everyone seemed to like him. There just wasn't much know about his past. Everything before he arrived in their sleepy little town was a mystery.

"Hey Keith," she said, "you play?"

He turned to look at her. "That depends. What are we playing for?"

Lindsey thought about her answer for a moment. "World peace." She thought she was being witty, and apparently so did Keith.

"Oh, is that all?"

There was so much she wanted to know about the man in front of her. "Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot." He wiped his hands off on the bar rag that was draped over his shoulder as Lindsey leaned on the bar and examining the darts in her hand.

"You finished that crossword puzzle in the kitchen?"

"Uh, I guess. Why?"

"The _New Your Times_ Saturday crossword?"

 _Shit._ "Was it?"

"Uh-huh." Lindsey was starting to wonder if Keith was hiding something. "You blow into town last week. You don't talk to anybody. You're obviously highly educated. You're like this…"

Sam decided to cut her off in hopes of distracting her. "Riddle wrapped inside an enigma wrapped inside a taco?"

He knew it had worked to some extent when she nodded and smiled.

"Here's what we play for," she said. Lindsey was no slouch at darts. She'd been working in this bar for years, and anytime it was slow she would throw a few. To say her confidence was high would be an understatement. She had never lost a game. "When I win, you buy me dinner and tell me your life story."

"Sounds fair."

He had to give her credit. It was a pretty good plan to weasel a date out of him. Too bad it was never going to happen. Sam threw all three darts into the center of the target. Lindsey was shocked.

"Very mysterioso. I like it."

When she looked back up at him, his attention was no longer on her. Something on the television had caught his eye. A news reporter was standing in front of a gathering of trees that were burning. The live report detailed a hailstorm with severe lighting that had triggered the massive wildfire.

"Damn," Tommy said. "Is it me or does it seem like it's the end of the world?"

Sam looked away. If only he knew just how right he was.

* * *

Seeing that news report had sent Sam's hunter instincts into overdrive. The second he got home, he pulled out his laptop and started researching the storm he saw on the news. Once he found what he was looking for, he picked up the phone and called Bobby.

It rang twice before a familiar voice sounded on the other line. "Sam?"

"Hey Bobby. How you doing?"

"Well I ain't running any marathons, but I'll live."

Castiel had been too weak to heal Bobby completely. Being cut off from Heaven had taken its toll. While he was able to keep the grizzled old hunter from losing the use of his legs, the stab wound still had to heal. It was quite deep, so it was taking him a while to get back on his feet.

Sam told him about the omens happening nearby. Bobby seemed uninterested.

"What?" Sam asked.

"There a reason you're calling?"

"Dean didn't tell you?"

"He told me."

"Yeah. So I just thought you might want to find out who's in the area and put a man on this."

"Okay, let me see if I can think of the best hunter who might be in the immediate vicinity – oh, that'd be you."

It was clear that Bobby was frustrated. He understood why Sam had walked away, but the boy couldn't have picked a worse time to do it. It was the damn apocalypse, and he was having a pity-party vacation. He could hear Sam sigh on the other end of the line.

"I can't, Bobby. I'm sitting this one out."

"Sam…"

"I gotta go. I'm so sorry."

"Hold on, Sam…"

Sam disconnected the call. He ran his fingers through his hair before rubbing his temples. Staying out of all things supernatural was going to be harder than he thought.

* * *

Sleep deprivation was starting to become a serious problem. It was the third night in a week that Sam lay awake in his bed, sleep refusing to come. He rolled to his side and sighed as he stared at the wall.

A pair of soft lips found the juncture of his neck and shoulder. Moving on instinct, Sam pulled the hunting knife from beneath his pillow and placed it at the intruder's throat. His eyes went wide as he saw his would-be attacker.

"Alex?"

She smiled sweetly at him. "Hi, Sam." She glanced down at the knife at her throat. "Old habits die hard huh?"

Sam dropped the knife and just stared at the woman before him. She had on the red negligée she'd warn for him the night Dean came back from Hell. With her hair falling in soft wavy curls around her shoulders, she was even more beautiful than he remembered.

"I'm dreaming."

"Or you're not. What difference does it make?" She placed a hand on the side of his face. "I'm here."

"I miss you so much," Sam said close to tears.

"I know." Alex slid closer to him, both of her hands now holding his face. "I miss you too."

All of the air left Sam's lungs when her lips met his. Soft and demanding, he matched her fervor and wrapped his arms around her slender waist. Her fingers slid into his silky hair as she pulled back, slightly breathless.

"What are you doing, Sam?"

He panted. "What do you mean?" He kissed her again.

"Running away." She untangled herself from him enough to pull back and look him in the eye. "Haven't you been down this road before?"

"It's different now."

"How? Because this time you got me killed before you left instead of after?"

It was a low blow. Sam winced a little at her words. Jessica hadn't crossed his mind in ages. The guilt had never truly gone away, but Alex had helped him move past it all and start living again. He had been happy. Then Alex died and he ended up right where he started.

He couldn't look her in the eye as he spoke. "Last time I wanted to be normal. This time I know I'm a freak."

She ran a hand through his hair. "You and I both know that's not true. Even at Stanford you knew that there was something wrong with you. Deep down, you knew there was darkness there. That's what got Jessica killed. It's what sealed my fate."

"No." His hazel eyes bore into her bluish-gray ones. There was no real emotion in her eyes. "Why are you here, Alex?"

"Would you believe I'm actually trying to protect you?" she asked with a small chuckle.

"From what?"

The smile left her lips. "You. Sooner or later the past is going to catch up to you. Just like it always does, and when that happens . . . you won't be able to hide anymore Sam."

Sam lowered his eyes for a moment and thought about what she said. Suddenly he realized that he could no longer feel her hands in his hair or her weight upon his legs. Sam looked up to find himself all alone in his room once again. He looked all around, but there was no sign that Alex had ever actually been there. He sat on the edge of the bed and hung his head in his hands. _What am I going to do?_

* * *

The rush had finished up about half an hour before, and Sam was leaning up when he heard a man calling his real name from across the bar. He tried to ignore it, but Lindsey made it impossible.

"Sam," she asked. "What happened to Keith?"

Sam put down the tray he was holding. "Wait, what?"

Lindsey gestured to the man and his two companions near the door. "He called you Sam."

"Yeah, uh," he thought as fast as he could, "Sam's my middle name." She laughed. Admittedly it was not the best he had ever done, but it was all he could come up with at the time.

"Keith Sam? Man I'm sorry."

"Well actually, it's Samuel, so it's not quite as dumb as it sounds," said the stranger.

This stranger seemed to know more about Keith than anyone else Lindsey had seen. She was amazed. "Are you guys friends?"

"Hunting buddies," one of the other men replied. "With his dad. Samuel here is quite the hunter himself."

"Wow." Another new piece of information. "You killed deer and things?"

"Yeah, and things."

"Um," said Sam. This was starting to get out of hand. He had to shut the hunters up before they completely blew his cover. "Why don't I get you guys some drinks?" He resisted letting out a sigh of relief when they followed his lead.

They apologized to him when he joined them with their drinks. They hadn't realized he was under cover. When they spoke to Bobby he had told them that Sam was off limits but didn't go into detail. They had come in hopes of enlisting his help.

"You were right," Tim said. "Major demon block party going on."

"But why?" Sam asked. "What are they up to?"

Another named Steve replied, "Don't know yet."

The final member of their group, Reggie, tried one final time to enlist Sam's help with their hunt. He still refused saying that it was personal, and he couldn't help. No details were needed. The hunters may not have understood what would make one of the best hunters out there just walk away, but they knew better than to pry.

Lindsey watched their entire conversation with more than a passing interest. As soon as his friends had left she walked straight over to Keith. "That is it. Enough with the kung fu wandering the earth thing. I'm gunna by you dinner and we're gunna talk."

"Lindsey, I can't"

"No. The only way to avoid bloodshed is to say yes."

Sam let out a sigh. There was no energy left in him to fight. He reluctantly agreed.

* * *

The pair sat at a table eating in relative silence. Sam was doing his best to just make it through the evening without revealing too much about himself. Lindsey on the other hand was starting to get impatient waiting for her dinner companion to open up.

"So," she began, "you gunna tell me who those guys back there really were? And don't say hunting buddies."

Sam told her that they had been in the same business, and when she probed further he tried to redirect the conversation to their food. That worked about as well as herding cats.

"I used to be in business with my brother," he finally admitted. "Truth is I was pretty good at the job. But…I made some mistakes. I did some stuff I'm not so proud of, and people got hurt. My girlfriend, she uh…."

Lindsey could hear the pain in his voice and decided to spare him a few of the gory details. "What was your poison?"

The question caught Sam off-guard. "Sorry?"

"Come on. You were hooked on something, I know the look." She pulled a coin out of her pocket with a satisfied look on her face. "Three years sober."

It was obvious that she was very proud of her sobriety. Sam never would have guessed she was an addict. "You work in a bar."

Lindsey just smiled. "So do you. Look, Keith. I don't know you, and I'm the last person to be giving advice, but I do know that no one has ever done anything so bad that they can't be forgiven."

He couldn't look her in the eye. _They probably didn't get the person they love killed. Twice._

* * *

The topic of Sam's past wasn't brought up again the next night when he and Lindsey went through their shift. Polite, somewhat flirtations on Lindsey's part, conversation was still the order of the day. There was just no further mention of his past or where he came from.

Sam was cleaning one of the tables when the chime above the door alerted him to a late visitor. "Bar's closed," he said. There was no second chime signaling that they had gone. Tossing his cleaning rag down in irritation, he turned to tell the person again to leave. When he turned, a bloody Tim was standing just inside the doorway. Sam's eyes grew wide as he took in the hunter's appearance.

"Something you want to tell me, Sam?"

His horror quickly turned to confusion. "What? No."

"You sure about that?"

A small amount of fear started to creep into Sam's body. "I-I don't know-jeez. Are you okay? Where are Reggie and Steve?"

"Oh," Tim said, "Steve's good, he's, uh, his guts are lying roadside outside the five and dime."

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry don't cut it, Sam." Tim was obviously pissed about something, and with each passing second, Sam was more worried about what that something was.

He was defeated. "What do you want me to say?"

"The truth." Sam didn't say a word. "Okay, fine. Let me give you some of my own, then." He proceeded to describe what had happened when they went after the demons. Steve had died in the initial fight before they had captured a demon. Sam could only apologize again. "Saying it twice don't make it so Sam. You see, this demon, he told us things. Crazy things, things about you, Sam.

"Demon's lie."

Tim's anger grew. How long was Sam going to deny what he knew to be true? Enough was enough! "Yeah. I'm gunna ask you one last time. The truth. Now."

The door chimed as Reggie dragged Lindsey through it, a knife to her throat.

"Lindsey!"

"What's going on?" she asked, her eyes pleading for help.

The situation was getting out of hand fast. It was easy for Sam to see that if he didn't get a grip on everything soon, somebody was going to get hurt. "Just take it easy okay? Put the knife down." Reggie did as he asked, but his grip on Lindsey only tightened. She gasped in pain. There was only going to be one way out of this. "It's true. What the demons said, it's all true."

Tim wasn't satisfied. "Keep going."

"Why? You gunna hate me any less? Am I gunna hate myself any less? What do you want?"

"I want to hear you say it."

Sam took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He was about to say something that he had been avoiding. Knowing it was true and admitting it to yourself are two very different things. Sam was about to confront the second and far more painful one. "I did it," he said. "I started the apocalypse."

Tim produced a vile of red liquid from his pocket.

"What is that?" Sam asked nervously. He had a sinking suspicion that he knew exactly what was in that little glass tube, and he was not exactly happy to see it.

"What do you think it is?" Tim replied. "It's go juice, Sammy boy."

With his worst fear confirmed, Sam started to panic slightly. "Get that away from me."

"Away from you? This is for you. Hell if that demon wasn't right as rain. Down the hatch, son."

"You're insane."

Tim was planning on using Sam as a weapon against the demons. Sam was not exactly a fan of the idea, but that wasn't going to stop the other hunters. They even threatened to kill Lindsey if that didn't work. Reggie handcuffed a terrified Lindsey to the bar.

The poor woman could only watch as her two assailants advanced on Sam. They tossed him onto the pool table. Reggie held the struggling hinter down as Tim poured the demon blood into Sam's mouth. They held his mouth closed to force him to swallow before dropping him and backing away.

There was a fire in Sam's eyes as he stood. The blood tasted sweet in his mouth. It was a comforting familiar flavor that brought back a thousand memories and sensations all at once.

"There, was that really so bad?" Tim asked.

Sam walked towards Tim with a calm expression on his face. That calm quickly melted as he spat the demon blood in Tim's eye before punching him. Reggie tried to step in, but Sam quickly dealt him a similar hand. Reggie stubbed back and fell into a table. Sam turned back to Tim and threw him against the bar. Reggie's discarded knife lay next to him. Seeing it, Sam grabbed it and placed it at the hunter's throat. His eyes flashed to Lindsey's terrified face. She had never seen this side of him before, didn't even know he was capable of such violence.

Sam could see every good thing she thought about him melt away in that moment. She had seen him as a good man, a bit mysterious, but ultimately a good man. Now he stood before her with a bloodstained mouth and a knife to another's throat. Sam stood up and removed the knife from the other hunter's throat before throwing him to his companion.

"Go."

"Don't think we won't be back," threatened Tim.

"Don't think I won't be here."

Lindsey looked at him in utter shock and horror before running from the room.

* * *

Sleep had taken a while to come to him yet again, but he eventually fell into one of complete unrest. "Sam. Sam." He heard a voice say. Turning, he saw Alex lying beside him in the bed once again. He kissed her soundly on the lips before placing a softer one on her neck and pulling away.

Alex ran her fingers through his hair. "So, this is your life now? Just hiding out in the middle of nowhere until the world ends?"

"I love you, Alex." Sam sat up in the bed and turned away from her. Alex followed his movement and sat up behind him. He felt her arms wrap around his shoulders as he continued. "God knows how much I miss you, too. But you're wrong. People can change. There is a reason for hope." He felt her sigh against his neck.

"No, Sam. There isn't."

Alex's form slowly melted away to reveal a scruffy looking blond man. There was a sympathetic look on his face.

"How can you be so sure?" Sam asked.

A much deeper voice than he was expecting answered him. "Because you freed me."

Startled, Sam turned and saw the man sitting behind him where Alex had been a moment before. He quickly stood and backed away.

"That's right," the intruder said. "You know who I am."

"Lucifer."

He stood as he spoke. "You are a hard one to find, Sam. Harder than most humans. I don't suppose you'd tell me where you are?"

"What do you want with me?"

"Thanks to you, I walk the earth. I want to give you a gift. I want to give you everything."

"I don't want anything from you."

"Not even your little girlfriend back?" Sam's brows knit together at his words. "I'm so sorry, Sam, I, I really am, but Nick here is just an improvisation. Plan B. He can barely contain me without spontaneously combusting."

"What are you talking about?"

Lucifer began to walk towards him. "Why do you think you were in that chapel Sam? Why do you think Alexandra fell in love with you of all people? Destiny, Sam. You're the one. You're my vessel. My true vessel."

"No." Sam could feel his blood running cold. It just couldn't be possible. It couldn't. There was no way he was Lucifer's vessel. It couldn't be true. Even if it was, he would never let it happen.

"You need my consent."

"Of course. I'm an angel."

"I will kill myself before letting you in."

"I'll just bring you back." Lucifer sighed. "Sam, my heart breaks for you. The weight on your shoulders, what you've done, what you still have to do. All of that guilt and loss is more than anyone could bear. If there was some other way… but there isn't. I wasn't lying when I said I would give her back to you. I will never lie to you. I will never trick you, but you will say yes to me, Sam. When you do, I'll give you want you want most. Alexandra will return to you."

"You're wrong." Sam refused to go down without a fight. The offer was very tempting. The visions of Alex he had over the past weeks were making him miss her even more. Being offered the chance to have her back was almost too tempting to pass up. "Why me?"

"Because it had to be you, Sam. It always had to be you. Like I said, it's your destiny Sam. You can't fight destiny."

Lucifer vanished. Sam looked around the room to assure himself that he was indeed alone. His legs suddenly felt very weak. Lowering himself onto the bed, Sam let the words Lucifer spoke wash over him. There was a tightening in his chest as he heard the words echo in his head. _You're my vessel._ Tears began to form in his eyes. He could have Alex back. Her arms around his neck would actually be real. They could be together again. All he had to do was let the devil ride around in his body. It was an impossible situation with no good solution. There were no two ways about it. Sam Winchester was royally screwed.

* * *

Dean was finally getting a chance to sleep. Castiel had been calling him for assistance in his search nearly nonstop. Sleep was something Dean had found precious little of since his brother left, and he was greatly looking forward to finally resting.

A growl escaped his lips as his phone started to buzz on the nightstand beside him. "Damn it, Cas, I need to sleep!"

"Dean, it's me."

The voice on the other end of the line was decidedly not the pain in the ass angel on his shoulder. "Sam?" he looked at the clock. "It's quarter past four."

"This is important."

Dean gave up on sleep and grabbed a beer out of the fridge. He slowly drank the cool liquid as he listened to his brother describe his encounter with Lucifer.

"Just when you thought you were out, they pull you back in, huh, Sammy?" was his only response.

Sam was shocked. "So, that's it? That's your response?"

"What are you looking for?

"I don't know. A-a little panic maybe?"

"I guess I'm a little numb to the earth-shattering revelations at this point." And it was true. As of late, every time one of the Winchester's turned around there was another bombshell being dropped on them. There was only so much a person could hear before they just quite caring.

"What are we gunna do about it?" Sam asked. Dean parroted his question back to him.

Sam told his brother he wanted to start hunting again. There was no way Sam Winchester was going down without a fight. No way. No how.

"Oh, so we're back to revenge then are we? Yeah, 'cause that worked out so well last time. How many girlfriends do you have to get killed before you learn your lesson?"

"No, Dean. Not revenge. Redemption. You're right I got Jess killed at Stanford, and then I got Alex killed. I have to come back from that."

"So, what, you're just gunna walk back in and we're gunna be the dynamic duo again?"

"Look, Dean, I can do this. I can. I'm gunna prove it to you."

* * *

Dean had reluctantly agreed to meet with his brother. He leaned against the Impala and thought about all that had been happening. After so many years of having a partner, doing everything on his own was wearing him out, and he missed his brother. It just wasn't the same without Sam.

There were no words of greeting when Sam finally did arrive. Dean just pulled out Ruby's knife and held it out to his brother.

"If you're serious and you want back in… you should hang onto this."

Sam's hand shook slightly as he took the knife. He couldn't even bring himself to look at his brother as he spoke. "Thank you. Really. Thank you. I won't let you down." He hoped in his heart of hearts that he was right. Tasting the demon blood that Tim had poured down his throat had reawakened his cravings. He woke that morning with the memory of the sweet metallic taste on his tongue. He longed for it even now.

"Oh, I know it. I mean, you are the second-best hunter on the planet."

They both chuckle slightly at the joke.

"So, what do we do now?" Sam asked.

"We're going to find the colt," said Dean. "Then we're gunna kill Lucifer."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave kudos and comment.


	37. Chapter 37

Tracking down who Bela sold the Colt to had proven to be an absolute nightmare. They couldn't find a single lead on it. The lack of leads made the boys wish that Ash was still around. He could have found some sort of lead. As it was, the only thing they were finding was who they dubbed "The Woman in Red."

Every time a demonic omen appeared so did she. There were reports of people seeing a woman in a red dress and heals anywhere there was an omen. Their best guess was that this was the Queen War had told them about. They had been trying to predict her movements so they could get to her. Without the Colt, all they could do was use her against Lucifer. At least, that was the best thing they had. They were getting pretty close too. Well they were until Chuck texted them saying it was a matter of life or death.

Life or death? What a load of crap. Becky had used Chuck's phone to lure them to a "Supernatural Convention." It had amazed them that something like that even existed. It ended up being rather lucky enough for the people in attendance that they were there. Some rather unfriendly ghosts had made their presence know, probably would have killed everyone there if it hadn't been for them.

One good thing did come out of their crazy weekend however. Becky, Sam's superfan, was able to clue them in on the Colt's location. Bela had never sold the colt. She had given it to the crossroads demon Crowley in an attempt to save her own ass. Now the boys were searching everywhere for the dealmaker in order to get it back.

* * *

The boys were at Bobby's house when Castiel called them with a lead on Crowley. He had found the demon, but could not get into his mansion compound due to all of the Enochian warding magic that was being used on the place. That didn't matter though. The boys were able to call in a few favors and put together a plan. All they needed was a little help from Jo Harvelle.

She walked down the street in a simple black evening dress and pressed the intercom button at the gate. When someone answered she told them a story about her car breaking down and needing some help. As she waited for someone to come let her in, she looked around for any signs of an ambush.

"Evening, pretty lady," a man said as the gates swung open. "Get yourself on in here."

Jo gave them what she hoped was a shy smile. "I just need to make a call."

"We're the only help you're ever gunna need," he said as he threw a smile at his partner who nodded in response.

"You know what? I think I should wait by my car." She tried to turn and leave, but one of the men grabbed her shoulder as his eyes went black. She was able to dispatch him quickly. The second was not her problem. By the time she turned to him, Sam had appeared from the shadows and stabbed him with the demon knife and was moving towards the second.

"Nice work, Jo," Dean said as he walked up to her.

"Thanks."

* * *

Crowley sat inside his mansion watching a film when the electricity cut out. He looked around for a moment, a small smile forming on his face before he got up and left the room.

"It's Crowley, right?" Sam said as he saw Crowley come into the hall.

"So," said Crowley. "The hardy Boys finally found me. Took you long enough."

The demon stared down the boys with their knife and shotgun. Crowley knew that wasn't enough to stop him, but the boys were smart. He bent down and checked the underside of the rug at his feet. There was a devil's trap drawn on the bottom of it.

"Do you have any idea how much this rug cost?"

Two men grabbed Sam and Dean from behind and quickly disarmed them. They stood helpless, arms pinned to their sides as they watched Crowley raise the Colt.

"This is it right?" he asked. "This is what it's all about." He aimed the gun at Dean. The hunters stood motionless, frozen in fear. Dean waited to feel the impact of the bullet. It never came. Instead, Crowley adjusted his aim and shot both of the men holding the hunters back. "We need to talk. Privately."

Crowley lead the boys into an adjacent room.

"What the hell is this?" Dean asked.

"Do you know how deep I could have buried this thing?" Crowley waived his hand and the door behind him closed. "There's no reason you or anyone should know this even exists, except that I told you."

Sam was a bit confused by his statement. "You told us?""

"Rumors, innuendo sent out on the grapevine."

"Why? Why tell us anything?"

He aimed the gun at Dean again. "I want you to take this thing to Lucifer and empty it into his face."

"Uh-huh," Dean began, "okay, and why exactly would you want the Devil dead?"

"It's called survival." Crowley placed the Colt on the desk in front of him. Well, I forgot you two at best are functioning morons."

"You're functioning," what Crowley called them finally caught up with Dean, "… morons…"

Crowley continued as if Dean had never spoken. "Lucifer isn't a demon, remember? He's an angel. An angel famous for his hatred of humankind. To him, you're just filthy bags of pus. If that's the way he feels about you, what can he think about us?" He had a point. Once he had control of the earth, he wouldn't need them anymore. "To him, we're just servants. Cannon fodder. If Lucifer manages to exterminate humankind, we're next. The "Bloody Red Queen" could literally kill me with a snap of her fingers. I don't much fancy dying. I'm having far too much fun to leave now. So what do you say I give you this thing, and you go kill the devil?"

* * *

Everyone had gathered at Bobby's house to come up with a game plan. Ellen and Castiel sat in the corner having a drinking contest. Well, it was actually more of a "let's see if we can get the angel drunk" contest. Jo watched with an amused smile on her face as she drank from her beer bottle.

Bobby and the boys sat at his desk on the opposite side of the room discussing what Crowley had told them. Thanks to Crowley they had a time, place, and means to kill the devil. It was all laid out for them, nice and easy.

"It's gotta be a trap, right?" asked Sam.

Dean couldn't pass up the opportunity to make a jab at his brother. "Sam Winchester, having trust issues with a demon. Well, better late than never."

"Thank you again for your continued support."

"You're welcome."

The boys clicked their beer bottles together and drank, enjoying their little joke.

"You know," Dean said as he swallowed, "trap or no trap, we got a snowball's chance, we gotta take it right?"

"Yeah, I suppose."

There had been a lot of discussion on if they should take the chance and even if Sam should be a part of it. Hunting the devil was going to be hard enough. Doing it with his chosen meat suit in tow was another. Ultimately Sam had won the argument. If they were going to do this thing, chances are not everyone was going to make it out alive. There was no way Sam would let his brother march into that without him.

* * *

"Everybody get in here!" they heard Bobby shout from the other room. "It's time for the lineup. Usual suspects in the corner."

Everyone slowly began to trickle into the room.

"Oh come on, Bobby," said Ellen. "Nobody wants their picture taken."

Everyone murmured their agreement.

"Shut up," Bobby said.

Castiel was the last to enter as Bobby finished fiddling with the camera. "Anyway," he said as he moved to join them, "I'm gunna need something to remember your sorry asses by."

They all moved into position.

"Ha! Always good to have an optimist around," said Ellen.

Castiel spoke. "Bobby's right. Tomorrow we hunt the devil. This is our last night on earth."

The words hit everyone like a ton of stone. They were about to walk into an impossible situation. The camera flashed. Nobody smiled.

* * *

There were missing posters on nearly every telephone pole they passed as they entered the sleepy little town. The place was a ghost town. No people. No pets. No signs of life whatsoever. The boys stuck their phones out of the windows trying desperately to find a signal. The lack of signal confirmed their suspicion that the town had been completely cut off from the world. Dean waived the other car up next to him.

"Place seem a little empty to you?" Ellen asked from the driver's seat.

"We're gunna go check out the PD. You guys stay here; see if you can find anybody."

* * *

After parting, Ellen parked the car on the side of the deserted street. As the two women piled out of the car, Castiel popped out onto the street and started looking around wildly. Ellen, seeing his strange behavior, starts looking around as well. There is only the three of them on the street.

"What is it, Cas?"

"The town's not empty," said the angel. It was true that the people were gone, but it was not people he was looking at. "Reapers."

"Reapers? As in more than one?"

"They only gather like this at times of great catastrophe. Chicago Fire, San Francisco Quake, Pompeii. Excuse me, I need to find out why they're here."

They women watched as Castiel walked away. He paused for a moment to look at something they assumed was a reaper. They looked at each other quizzically before moving to meet up with the boys.

* * *

Dean was the first to speak when they came into view. "Station's empty."

"So's everything else," Jo said.

Ellen began filling the boys in on what Castiel said he witnessed upon their arrival. The boys just looked at each other in both confusion and terror.

Dean ran a hand down his face. "Alright," he said. "Let's keep looking."

* * *

Castiel walked through the abandoned building with caution. He had found no reason for the reapers presence, and it was starting to worry him. A voice from behind him suddenly said "Hello, brother" before a white light enveloped the room.

As the light faded, Castiel found himself standing in a circle of holy fire. A man stood on the opposite side of the room. Castiel recognized him instantly.

"Lucifer."

"So, I take it you're here with the Winchesters." Castiel denied they were in town. "Loyalty. Such a nice quality to see in this day and age. Castiel, right? Castiel, I know that the Winchesters are here. In fact, I sent someone down to welcome them."

The closest thing to a concerned expression the angel could muster appeared on his face. "What do you mean? Who did you send?" Lucifer just smiled.

* * *

The hunters walked slowly down the street, shotguns in hand as they looked for any sign of a presence other than the reapers. There was no sign of Castiel anywhere. It was as if he had simply vanished into thin air. The possibility that Lucifer had managed to get a hold of him was becoming more real by the second.

Dean thought he heard something and held up his hand to silently signal to everyone to stop moving. Once they had all stopped the rhythmic click click click he thought he had heard only became louder.

"There you are," they heard someone say behind them."

The hunters slowly turned and readied their weapons, but they soon lowered them when the owner of the voice came into view.

Ellen's eyes grew wide. "Oh my god."

The woman before them wore a fitted red halter dress. Sam's eyes started at the red heels on her feet and quickly moved up her shapely legs and hips. As he reached her cleavage he noticed auburn curls coming over her shoulders to brush their tops before finally reaching her face and the most beautiful set of eyes he never thought he'd see again.

"Alex," he said in a breathless whisper.

"It's good to see you too, Sam. I've missed you."

Sam's brain struggled to comprehend what he was seeing as he spoke. "How can you….? I mean, you're dead."

"Minor detail."

The shock had worn off somewhat for Dean, and his brain began working on putting two and two together. The woman standing before them definitely looked like Alex, but Sam was right. She was dead. From everything Crowley had said and all of the descriptions people had given them, there was only one person she could be.

"You're the Queen of Hell," he said in a dead tone.

She smiled coyly at him. "I am."

Jo finally came out of her stooped, taking a step away from her mother she spoke. "How is this even possible? Sam watched you die. He burned your bones. There is no way you should be here."

The Queen turned her cool smile towards the young blonde. "It's funny that you mention that," she said. "You see burning my body after death really didn't mean anything since I had already said yes."

The women looked at the two brothers in shock. Ellen asked them what she was talking about.

Sam couldn't take his eyes off of the woman before him as he spoke. "She did it to save me." He paused for a moment to center himself. They did not know he had started the apocalypse, and that was the way he wanted to keep it. "When I killed Lilith, it changed me. I started to turn into a demon, and Alex said yes to keep it from happening."

The women were shocked.

"It's true," said the Queen. "I accepted my birthright to save the man I love, and look at me now."

"You're not really Alex," said Dean.

"Oh but I am. You see, the moment I said yes everything changed. I instantly became what you see before you. There was just some . . . interference that would have kept me from fully taking on my new title."

"Wait a second," said Sam. "If that's true, than what happened to the women before you? Why didn't they come back?"

"Fire," she said. "It's really very simple. Fire purifies. So when they were burned, they were cleansed, and the deal was broken."

"But we burned your body?"

She smiled. "The difference between me and them Sam is that they burned while they were still alive. You see, I was already dead when you burned me. My soul had already moved on." She looked down at her necklace and began to play with the heart pendant. "I appreciate the gesture Sam. I really do, but there was nothing you could have done. It was already over."

Her words rolled around in Jo's head. All this time Alex had been alive, and not once did she think to reach out to them to let them know she was alive. Instead she would rather play the devil's little whore and take over the planet. "You bitch," Jo said as she raised her shotgun and fired on her former friend.

The Queen's head snapped to the side and she raised a hand in Jo's direction. The shot stopped in midair inches from her outstretched hand before falling to the ground. The hunters looked on in terror as she slowly looked up from the pellets that lay before her.

"Now that wasn't very nice was it?" she asked.

A fierce growling could suddenly be heard. Dean watched in horror as the woman he had thought of as a sister lifted her hands and began moving them as if she was petting several large beasts.

"Hellhounds," he said.

She gave a wicked smile as she spoke. "Bingo." Everyone held their breath as they watched the former hunter remove her hands from what they could only guess were the heads of two of the creatures as another knocked over a trashcan at their side.

Sam's heart began to break all over again. For weeks he had dreamed of seeing her again. He had imagined what it would be like to look into her eyes and see the love and warmth radiate in them. Now as he looked at her, all he saw was a cold heartless being that cared nothing at all about those before her. As her eyes moved from his brother to himself they changed. For the briefest of moments, he could have sworn that he saw that warmth again before a light caught the necklace, causing it to glow for a moment. As the glow faded so did the warmth in her eyes.

"Go get 'em boys."

Dean quickly fired his weapon. A spurt of blood erupted from what looked like empty space. "Run!"

They all took off in a mad dash for cover. Jo paused when she heard Dean grunt and turned around. She saw him lying on the ground as if he had been tackled from behind. She screamed his name as she moved towards him. Dean tried to tell her to stay back, to turn and go. He knew the pain of a hellhounds claws and how they could rip through flesh as if it wasn't even there. It was a pain he would not wish on his worst enemy, let alone the young blonde before him.

Jo fired her shotgun in Dean's direction and managed to force the hellhound off of Dean. The others stopped running at the sound of gunfire and came back. Dean quickly moved to his feet as Jo continued to fire at the invisible creature. Dean noticed as small cloud of breath at her side. He tried to warn her by shouting her name and reaching for her arm, but it was too late. Jo screamed in pain as the hounds claws ripped through her side.

Ellen screamed as she saw her daughter's blood being spilt on the ground and began firing all around her in an attempt to save her. Sam quickly joined in the hail of bullets as he watched his brother scoop up the woman and run for the hardware store. He looked at the woman standing at the end of the street one final time before turning and running himself.

* * *

Dean carried Jo to the far back corner and sat her down against the wall as gently as he could before moving to help his brother. A small whimper of pain escaped her lips at the change of position. Ellen did her best to stay calm for her daughter's sake. She said calm reassuring words to her as she moved her hand to assess the damage done to her side. Bile rose in the throat as she saw the blood pour from her daughter's side.

Sam found a heavy logging chain and quickly used it to lock the door while Dean poured the rock salt along any possible entrance he could find. They had just finished off the last entry way when they heard Ellen call for their help. Grabbing a first aid kit, they quickly made their way back to the two women.

Ellen took the first aid kit from them and started pulling out supplies.

"Okay baby, I'm gunna have to move your hand," Ellen warned.

Blood pumped form her side yet again as her mother got to work on her injury. The boys looked at each other in horror at the sight. Dean looked at Jo's face. She gave him a pitiful little smile that he didn't return. He just walked away.

"Uh," Sam said, "I'm uh gunna go get some water."

After taking the water to Ellen, Sam found his brother fiddling with and old trucker radio someone left in the back room.

Dean asked, "How's she holding up?"

There was a long pause. His brother's lack of answer told him everything he needed to know. Sam changed the subject before they could dwell on it for too long.

"Salt lines are holding up."

"Safe for now."

"Safer. Trapped like rats."

Dean stopped his fiddling and turned to look at Sam. "How are you doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"Alex," he said. "She just came back from the dead and went full on Vader on us back there."

If Sam was being honest, he was trying not to think about what had just happened. The fact that the love of his life had magically reappeared and set a bunch of hellhounds after them was hard for him to wrap his head around. It had been months and he was just getting used to the idea of her being gone. He still missed her every day and got chocked up when he thought about her, but he had finally accepted the fact that she was gone.

Now she was out there trying to kill them all. It was something he could not quite wrap his head around. In fact he didn't want to. It was just too much. Luckily, he was saved from answering by Ellen calling for his help.

Dean could only imagine what was going through his brother's mind as he watched him walk away. He had been taken aback by seeing her. While it looked like her, Dean could not accept that it was really Alex. She talked differently, moved differently, hell she even dressed differently. There was no way that was his best friend. It was just another demon that looked like her. At least that's what he wanted to believe, but in his heart he knew it was really her.

The radio finally squealed to life.

"K C 5 Fox Delta Oscar, come in," Dean said into the radio. There was no answer. He repeated it two more times before Bobby's voice was finally heard.

"K C 5 Fox Delta Oscar, go ahead."

"Bobby, it's Dean. We got problems."

Bobby sighed. He had been trying to reach the party by phone for the last half hour. All he got was a recording telling him that the call could not be completed at this time. Hearing that the younger hunter was still alive was a huge weight off of his shoulders.

"It's okay, boy," he said. "That's why I'm here. Is everyone all right?"

"No. It's," he had a hard time getting the words out, "it's Jo. Bobby, it's pretty bad."

"Okay. Copy that. So now we figure out what we do next."

Dean's emotions started to get the better of him. "Bobby, I don't think she's…" he broke off as he tried to hold back the sob that threatened to escape his lips. Seeing Alex again and watching Jo slowly bleed to death was taking it's toll on the usually stoic hunter.

Bobby tried to keep him on task. "I said, what do we do next, Dean?"

He rested his head on his hand for a moment before answering. "Right. Okay, right."

"Now, tell me what you got."

Dean started to recount all that had happened since they arrived. He told Bobby about the town being deserted, Cas disappearing, and the hellhound attack. The only thing he left out was the reemergence of the elder hunter's adoptive daughter. That was not something Dean was ready to tell him just yet.

"Did Cas say how many reapers?" asked Bobby.

"I don't – he said a lot of things, I guess. Does the number matter?"

"Devils in the details, Dean."

It took everything the elder Winchester had not to roll his eyes at that particular comment. He was about to respond when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned and found Ellen behind him, one bloody hand extended towards the microphone. He handed it over.

"Bobby, it's Ellen. The way he was looking, the number of places Castiel's eyes went, I'd say we're talking over a dozen reapers, probably more."

"I don't like the sound of that."

"Nobody likes the sound of that, Bobby, but what – wh – what does that mean?"

"It sounds like death, son. I think Satan's in town to work a ritual. I think he's planning to unleash Death."

"You mean, like, as in this dude and taxes are the only sure thing?"

"As in Death. The horseman. The pale rider in the flesh. Last time they hauled him up, Noah was building a boat. That's why the place is crawling with reapers. They're waiting for the big boss to show. Do you know if Satan's got a witch up his sleeve?"

Ellen spoke up from behind Dean. "Yeah Alex."

"What?"

Dean closed his eyes and swallowed before turning his head to look at Ellen. She stared back unapologetically before taking the mic back from Dean.

"Bobby, he's got Alex. She's the Queen. She's the one who sent the hellhounds after us."

"This ain't no time to joke Ellen. We're going up against the devil here, and bringing up my dead daughter and exactly what I'd call funny."

Dean took over. "She's not joking, Bobby. She's the Woman in Red. I saw her. She spoke to all of us."

There was silence on the other line as Bobby let all of this new information sink in.

"Bobby?"

"Yeah I'm here."

"What do we do now?"

The older hunter took a deep breath and tried to refocus. They were counting on him to be there to help them right now. No matter what was going through his mind, he couldn't let them down.

"I been researching Carthage since you've been gone," he said. "Trying to suss out what the devil might want there. What you just said drops the last piece of the puzzle in place." Bobby filled them in on everything he had discovered and told them where to go next. Chances were the ritual was going to go down on a farm just outside of town. That was going to be their best bet to beat the devil.

* * *

Castiel stood in the ring of fire and watched as the door opened to reveal a new visitor.

"Ah Alexandra," said Lucifer as he extended his hand towards the woman in red that had just walked into the room.

As Castiel watched her move, a combination of shock and confusion could be seen on his face.

"The boys are taken care of for the moment," she said as Lucifer pulled her to his side. "I'm sure they'll find a way out of it soon." She turned her attention to the other angel. "Hello Castiel. It's good to see you again. Sorry it had to be under these circumstances." She looked back up at Lucifer. "We should really be going soon. It's almost time."

The Devil looked out the window as saw that the sun was beginning to set. "You're right my dear." He turned to Castiel. "It was good to see you brother. I hope you won't mind if we leave you here for a while. You understand."

The angel watched as the evil duo walked past him. As soon as they were gone he started looking around for a way to get free. He noticed a water pipe above his head and started to work on loosening the screws.

* * *

Everyone gathered around Jo as they took stock of their situation. They had everything they needed to ice the devil. They just needed a way past the hellhounds at their door. The boys were fairly certain they could escape on the roof, but the real problem was getting Jo out of there. Dean suggested a stretcher as a way to carry her out. Sam nodded and moved to see what he could find, but the sound of Jo's voice stopped him.

"Can we, uh, be realistic about this, please?" she asked. She tried to shift her position and pain shot through her body. "Uh! I can't move my legs. I can't be moved. My guts are being held in by an ace bandage. We gotta … we gotta get our priorities straight here."

The boys knew where she was going with this, and they were none too happy. Neither was Ellen.

"Joanna Beth, you stop talking like that."

Jo gave her mother a pleading expression. "Mom, I can't fight. I can't walk. But I can do something. We got propane, wiring, rock salt, iron nails, everything we need."

Sam didn't quite follow.

"Everything we need?"

"To build a bomb, Sam."

"No, Jo, no," Dean said as her plan suddenly became clear to him. There was no way he was going to let Jo sacrifice herself like that. He had already lost one person he looked at like a sister. He wasn't ready to lose another.

"You got another plan?" she retorted. "Those are hellhounds out there, Dean. They've got all of our scents. Those bitches will never stop coming after you. We let the dogs in, you guys hit the roof, make a break for the building next over. I can wait here with my finger on the button, rip those mutts a new one. Or at least get you a few minutes head start, anyway."

"No," said Ellen, "I – I won't let you." Tears began pouring down the older woman's face as she continued to argue with her daughter. This was her baby girl they were talking about. She just wasn't ready to let Jo go. Not yet.

"Mom," Jo said. "This might literally be your last chance to treat me like an adult. Might wanna take it?" She gave her mother a weak smile.

Ellen looked into her daughter's eyes, and for the first time she saw the amazing woman she had become. Her daughter was far stronger and wiser than she had ever given her credit for. Without even realizing it, Jo had become a woman before her eyes. She wasn't sure when it happened, but in that moment, Jo was the real strength in their group. She swallowed her pride and spoke.

"You heard her. Get to work."

* * *

Sam and Dean worked quickly to assemble the bomb as night fell. They used nails and rock salt for extra damage just in case the explosion wasn't enough. Dean started wiring an ignition switch while Sam moved back to Jo's side. He took her hand and gave it a small reassuring squeeze.

"She's still in there ya know."

Sam looked down at the increasingly pale woman at his side. "What?"

"Alex. She's still in there. She still loves you."

"How do you know?"

"I could see it in… in her eyes when she looked at you. Promise me you won't give up on her okay?"

He was stunned into silence for a moment. When he finally had his wits about him enough to respond, he was cut off by his brother.

"Okay this is it," Dean said as he finished with the switch. He looked up at Jo. "I'll see you on the other side. Probably sooner than later."

His joke had little effect. "Make it later," Jo said as she fought for control of her voice.

She began to cry as Dean placed the button in her hand. He almost started crying himself when he looked into her eyes. Here was this amazing woman that had always loved him, but he had only ever seen as a little sister. She was always the young one that wanted to tag along for fun without really knowing what was going on. He kissed her on the forehead before pulling back. There was still a pleading in her eyes. In that moment Dean decided to do something he never thought he would. He leaned forward and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips. He may not be able to save her, but at least he could give her that one small thing.

Another tear escaped Jo's eye as he pulled away and rested his head on her own. She had dreamed of what it would be like to kiss Dean Winchester. Never in a million years would she have imagined it would happen like this. She watched as he quickly moved away from her, and her mother came to sit beside her. They just looked at each other in silence for a moment until her mother smiled at her, realization dawning.

"Mom, no."

"Somebody's gotta let them in," she said. "Like you said, you're not moving. You got me, Jo. And you're right, this is important." Jo simply nodded. "But I will not leave you here alone. Get going now boys." Dean started to reason with Ellen to leave. "I said go."

The boys started to walk away. "And Dean?" they heard Ellen say. Dean stopped and turned to look back. "Kick it in the ass. Don't miss." He nodded and moved to rejoin his brother just a few steps away.

"Sam," Jo called out. He turned to her. "Remember," she gasped for breath, "remember what I told you."

Sam nodded, giving her the best reassuring smile he could muster.

* * *

The boys hurried across the fire escape and down the ladder. They started running as soon as their feet hit the ground. They didn't know how much time they had before the hardware store blew, so they needed to make sure they put as much distance between themselves and the building as possible.

Neither of them spoke. Both had too many thoughts swirling in their heads. Dean kept picturing the look on Jo's face as they said good-bye. Each time he saw it he tried to refocus by visualizing taking a shot at the devil and watching the bullet pierce his flesh. The thoughts quickly stopped when they heard a loud explosion behind them.

They both stopped and turned to see the giant fireball behind them. The heat of the flames warmed their skin. Their friends, part of their crazy messed up family, were gone. There was sadness at the thought, but also acceptance. They knew what they had to do. Now they just needed to make it happen.

* * *

The clearing was filled with people standing still as statues. Their unblinking eyes watched the man in front of them fill a whole as the boys slowly approached.

"Guess we know what happened to some of the townspeople," said Dean.

They watched the scene for a moment, readying themselves for what they knew would be the moment of truth.

"Last words?" Sam asked.

Dean looked at his brother for a moment before replying. "I think I'm good."

"Yeah me too."

"Here goes nothing."

Dean watched on in silence as his brother moved into the clearing. He sent up a silent prayer to whoever was listening that their plan would work, because if anything went wrong they were royally screwed.

"Hey!" Sam yelled as he approached the man he knew to be Lucifer with his shotgun at the ready. Lucifer ceased his digging and turned towards the younger Winchester. "You wanted to see me?"

"Oh, Sam, you don't need that gun here." He dropped the shovel and gave same a small closed mouth smile. "You know I'd never hurt you. Not really."

"What did you do to Alex?"

"Ah, so that is what this is all about? I offered to give her back to you, Sam. All you have to do is say yes and our dear Alexandra will be by your side again."

"That's not Alex."

"Oh but it is. You see Sam, she's mine now. I'm the one calling the shots. She can't say no to me. And once you accept your destiny, she won't be able to say no to you."

Hearing these things about Alex was killing Sam. Dean knew it, but it had gotten Lucifer's attention. The moment the angel's back was turned to him, Dean started to silently make his way towards him. The Colt was loaded and ready. All he needed to do was pull the trigger. Dean knew he was only going to get once shot, so he wanted to make sure there was no way he would miss. He listened to Lucifer's discussion with his brother as he moved forward.

"Her heart is all yours Sam. I don't want it. It belongs to you. Like I said, I'd never hurt you Sam."

"Yeah?" Dean asked when he had finally reached his goal. "Well, I'd hurt you." He pointed the Colt at Lucifer's head when the angel turned towards him. If they had been any closer, it would have been touching him. "So suck it." Dean pulled the trigger and watched Lucifer fall.

The townspeople did nothing. Sam and Dean watch the corpse for a moment. They look at each other in disbelief. They did it. They actually did it. They killed the devil. At least, that's what they thought until he suddenly took in a sharp breath and began to move.

"Owww…" said Lucifer as he stood. "Where did you get that?"

Sam was horrified. He had convinced himself that if they could kill the devil than Alex would be free. She would really truly be back. Now as he watched Lucifer punch his brother and send him flying, he realized that he was never getting her back. The moment he saw he on that street, he had been stunned. The Jo's words had given him hope. Now that hope had been abandoned. She may be alive, but she was not coming back.

"Now, where were we?" Lucifer asked. He saw the broken look on Sam's face and continue. "Don't feel too bad, Sam. There's only five things in all of creation that that gun can't kill and I just happen to be one of them. But if you give me a minute, I'm almost done." He picked the shovel up and moved a few more shovels full of dirt. Sam was about to run to his brother and make sure he was okay, but the small grunt and signs of movement gave him all the indication he needed.

Lucifer tossed the shovel to the side. "There, that's better. Alexandra?!" he called.

Sam's soul filled with sorrow as he watched Alex emerge from the tree line and begin to make her way towards them. Lucifer extended his hand towards her.

"Is everything ready?" he asked.

"Of course," was her reply. "All I need is your command."

Lucifer once again turned his eyes to Sam. "You know, I don't suppose you'd just say yes here and now?" Sam started to move towards his brother, never taking his eyes off of the pair. "End this whole tiresome discussion. That's crazy, right? Your girlfriend is already here. I could just hand her off to you."

"It's never gunna happen! That's not even Alex anymore." Sam yelled as he helped Dean to his feet.

A small closed mouth smile spread across Alexandra's face as a soft light entered her eyes. For a moment he thought he was wrong. Then Sam watched her necklace glow for a moment before the warmth in her face that was directed at him vanished once more.

"Oh, I don't know, Sam. I think it will. I think it'll happen soon. Within six months. And I think it'll happen in Detroit. What do you think dear?"

Lucifer wrapped his arm around Alexandra's shoulders and pulled her into his side. She looked up at him briefly, one of her hands coming to rest on his chest before looking back at Sam.

"I couldn't agree more," she said in a soft seductive voice.

Seeing her at Lucifer's side caused the dagger in Sam's heart to give a violent twist, stoking the rage deep within him. "You listen to me, you son of a bitch. I'm gunna kill you myself, you understand me? I'm going to rip your heart out!"

"That's good, Sam. You keep fanning that fire in your belly. All that pent-up rage. I'm gunna need it."

Sam did his best to calm himself as he looked around at the townspeople. They were all men. They were all still standing perfectly still.

"What did you do?" he asked. "What did you do to this town?"

Alexandra was the one to respond. "Them?" she asked with a gesture. "They are all possessed by demons."

"And the rest of them?"

"Horsemen can be so demanding." She turned ever so slightly and gestured to the hole. Her implication was clear. Everyone else was in the mass grave Lucifer had just finished. Sam's stomach gave a violent turn and threatened to empty its contents. Dean had pulled himself to his feet and layed hand on his shoulder and arm to help to stabilize him. "Now if you'll excuse me," she said. "I have a ritual to finish."

The boys watched as she fully turned and stretched her arms towards the grave. She began chanting in a language neither of them had ever heard before. She stopped and turned to the demons. "Now repeat after me."

Lucifer looked on in pride as the demons recited every word she spoke perfectly. When they had finished, Alexandra locked her eyes on one of them and snapped her fingers. The demon flashed gold and fell over dead.

Sam and Dean watched in horror as her eyes continued to move through the group, each one falling dead in succession. Once they were all dead, she looked over at the two hunters. She could not help but notice the look on her former lover's face. "What?" she asked. "They're just demons, Sam."

The ground below them suddenly rumbled. Sam looked at Alexandra one more time before taking Dean by the arm and running. Their eyes had locked in the moment he looked back, and in that moment it was as if he could feel her trying to reach out to him. It was like she was calling him from behind locked bars, screaming for him to help her.

She watched as the boys ran away. An arm came around her shoulders as she was pulled into Lucifer's side once more. He pulls her with him towards the edge of the grave as a figure began to emerge.

"Oh, hello, Death."

* * *

The glasses from Ellen and Castiel's drinking competition still sat on the table where they had left them. Very little had been moved from the night when they had all gathered together, except the people. Two of their number were now gone, and another was missing. Bobby held a copy of the picture they had all taken. He looked at it in his hand for a moment before tossing it into the flames before them. The three hunters watched the photo burn in silence.

Once the photo was gone, Dean and Bobby walked away from the fireplace. Sam didn't move. Instead he reached into his pocket and retrieved the photo of him, his brother, and Alex with the Impala. He stared at her smiling face and tried to compare it to the woman he had seen at Lucifer's side. They had the same features. Same nose. Same eyes. Same lips, but they were not the same people. The woman in the photograph had a warmth and a light radiating from her that the one he had seen with the devil did not. The woman in the red dress had been harsh and cold. There was no warmth in her face at all.

Staring at the photo, Sam finally let go of the last shred of hope he had of seeing Alex again. He closed his eyes and remembered the feel of her in his arms and the smell of her shampoo. He thought about her laugh and heard her voice say I love you for the last time before he tossed the photo into the flames. Its edges slowly caught fire. As the image curled and dissolved, Sam said his final good-bye to the love of his life and let a single tear rolled down his cheek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave kudos and comment. Thanks.


	38. Chapter 38

The months following Jo and Ellen's demise were some of the hardest the boys had been through in a long time. You would think that they would be used to people dying on them at this point. They were hunters after all. A long life expectancy was not really something most of them were too familiar with. Still, something was different this time. It wasn't just that they had died. It was that they had died so that a mission could be accomplished, and that mission had proven to be pointless.

With using the Colt to kill Lucifer no longer an option, the boys were quickly running out of ideas as to what they should do next. Their friends had died to take out Lucifer, and he was still roaming around freely. To make things worse, he was running around with one of their own as his lapdog.

Sam had tried several times to forget about the way Alex had clung to Lucifer while looking at him like she still cared. There were moments when he could have sworn that she was going to walk over and throw her arms around him, but it never happened. Every time one of these thoughts came to his head he would quickly banish it.

Dean just drowned his sorrows. The empty beer bottles littering the floor were proof of that. The number seemed to grow each week. They both knew it wasn't good, but neither of them cared. With each passing day they sank deeper and deeper into themselves. They didn't even really talk to each other anymore. Dean was currently pretending to sleep so he could ignore his brother. He had fallen into a drunken stupor earlier, but the sound of the motel door opening had awoken him.

When he didn't hear any footsteps leading away from the door on either the inside or the outside, he began to slowly reach for the gun he kept under his pillow. He heard a voice say "Looking for this?" just as he found his firearm missing from it's hiding place.

He turned over and found Sam sitting on his bed with a shotgun pointed at his chest. A second man was popping the cartridge out of what could only be Dean's gun and tossed it aside. He tried to lighten the dire situation by jokingly saying, "Mornin'" to the intruders. They however were unimpressed.

"Shut up," the one pointing a gun at Dean said. "Hands where I can see 'em."

_I know that voice_ , Dean thought as he lifted his hands. "Wait a minute. Is that you, Roy? Which makes you Walt. Hiya Walt."

The two gunmen look at each other for a moment. The one Dean called Walt removed his mask.

"Don't matter," he said.

Roy removed his mask as well.

"Well, is it just me, or do you two seem a tad upset?" asked Dean.

Walt was the one to respond. "You think you can flip the switch on the Apocalypse and just walk away, Sam?"

Sam was suddenly very nervous. "Who told you that?"

"We ain't the only hunters after you." He pumped the shotgun. "See you in the next life."

"Hear me out. I can explain, okay? Please. Alex was…"

He never got the opportunity to finish his sentence. Walt pulled the trigger. Sam felt pain explode across his chest, and then everything went black.

* * *

Sam opened his eyes slowly as the soft light filtered in through the windows. He was back in the room he shared with Alex as Bobby's. Her scent still lingered in the air and Sam fought against the light and tried to remain asleep until he felt a presence next to him. Adrenalin kicked in as he bolted upright. Breathing heavily, he prepared to attack his assailant.

"It's okay baby," a soft feminine voice said.

His eyes grew wide as he gazed down at the woman that had been sleeping beside him.

"Alex?"

She sat up and placed a hand on the side of his face while removing a sweat soaked lock of hair from his forehead.

"Did you have that dream again?"

Sam still did not speak. He just sat there trying to regain his breath as he took in the sight before him. She was wearing one of his plain white t-shirts. He had always loved seeing her in his shirts first thing in the morning. Her hair was slightly tussled and matted in places, but she had never looked sexier to him.

"Well it's over now," Alex said. She leaned in and kissed him full on the mouth. The taste of peach cobbler from the night before was faint upon her lips as she angled her head to deepen the kiss.''

Sam's body immediately flared to life as she placed her hands on his bare chest and started to push him back down onto the bed. It was all so familiar, like it had happened before, but Sam went with it anyway. If it was a dream, he never wanted to wake.

She followed him to the mattress and began grinding her core against his boxer clad erection. A groan escaped his lips as she sat up and removed the shirt, leaving her only in her underwear.

It suddenly dawned on him why it felt like this moment was so familiar. He had actually lived it before. After Dean sold his soul to bring him back, there had been several nights where he had woken in a cold sweat. Alex had always been there for him. Every time he woke from reliving his death, Alex had been there to calm his fears.

This moment was actually one of the favorites he had shared with her during their time together. Bobby and Dean had been just down the hall. He was about to point it out to her just as he had that day when Dean suddenly burst through the door.

"Dean!" Sam exclaimed. This was not how it happened at all. When it actually happened he had tried to remind her that Bobby was just down the hall.

"Then I guess you'll just have to be quite," said Alex, taking no notice of Dean as she started to kiss down his chest.

"Wow," said Dean as he covered his face and turned away from the scene before him. "Just wow. That is something I could have gone forever without seeing."

Sam was able to move Alex off of him by flipping her onto her back.

"Dean? What are you doing in my dream?"

Dean's only response was to make a bemused face at his brother.

* * *

Sam had dressed and joined his brother outside. Where the bedroom had been filled with the light of early morning, outside the bedroom door was a long cold stretch of highway surrounded by twinkling stars. His brow furrowed as he took in his surroundings. The sky seemed to be spinning. Something was most definitely not right.

"Where the hell are we?" Sam asked.

Dean gave only one word in reply. "Heaven."

"Heaven?"

"Yep."

Memories suddenly flashed in Sam's mind. He remembered being held at gun point. The gun went off…. he died.

"Okay," Sam said as he struggled to come to grips with the fact that his life was over. "How are we in Heaven?"

"All that clean living, I guess," quipped Dean.

Sam shook his head at his brother. Dean was Michael's vessel. It made sense for him to be here. Sam, Sam was another story. True, neither of them were boy scouts, but Sam drank blood to gain power. True there hadn't been a single craving after Lucifer was released, but seeing Alex had sent him into a spiral. In his despair the only thing he wanted as badly as having her in his arms again was demon blood. The desire had been so intense that he had forced his brother to handcuff him to a bathroom sink while he went looking for Famine.

The horseman's presence had amplified the desire sure, but it was definitely something he had thought about far more often since seeing what Alex had become. It probably played a far larger part in him falling off the wagon than he wanted to admit. He tried to blame it on the sickly horseman they had faced, but he couldn't account for all of it. He had started it all to try and save Alex. It would have made just as much sense for him to go back to it because of her as well.

"You thought you were doing the right thing," Dean said. He had to give his brother serious credit. He fought his urges with all that was in him.

Famine had offered him an entire buffet on a silver platter and all he did was exercise him. It had been brilliant actually. Sam had consumed just enough blood to be able to exercise all of the souls Famine had devoured, rendering the horseman too weak to do anything as they took his ring.

Sam knew where his brother was going will all of this. His bad choices had all come from a place of love, but that didn't make them any less horrible.

"Last I checked, it wasn't the road to Heaven that was paved with good intentions."

"Yeah, well, if this is the Skymall it sucks. I mean, where's the triplets and the latex, you know? C'mon, a guy has needs."

A thought suddenly occurred to Sam. He looked behind him where the door to the bedroom at Bobby's had been only moments before.

Dean, seeing his brother deep in thought, asked him what was going through his head.

"You know, when you bite the dust they say your life flashes before your eyes," Sam said.

"Your point?"

He gestured behind him. "That uh…moment, it's one of my memories."

The image of Alex riding his brother flashed through Dean's mind. He should his head to make it go away.

"When I woke up, I woke up in one of my memories. The Fourth of July we burned down that field?"

"Maybe that's what Heaven is; a place where you relive your greatest hits."

"Well as much fun as walking in on the two of you was," Dean said sarcastically, "I really hope there's not another one of those on the tour."

A rumble could be heard quickly approaching them in the distance. As the roar grew louder, a spotlight appeared. Dean grabbed Sam by the arm and dragged him towards a heavily wooded area. They took cover behind a fallen log until the light passed.

"What was that all about?" Sam asked.

"Zachariah. He knows we're here. He's looking for us."

"Wait, how do you know that?"

"Cas. He managed to get a message to me Night Rider style. He said we need to find some angel named Joshua."

"Okay. What's so important about him?"

Dean proceeded to relay all that Cas had told him about the angel that talked to God. Since Cas couldn't return to Heaven himself, it was now their job to talk to him and see if he could get a message to God asking for his help.

"So… what do you think?"

Dean took a deep breath before replying. "I think we hit the yellow bricks, find this Joshua cat.

Sam was more than a little suspicious. "Really?"

"What? You don't?"

"No, uh. I'm just surprised you do. Last time I checked you wanted to break God's nose, now you think he can help?"

"He's the only one who can. I mean, come on, Sam. We are royally boned. So prayer? The last hope of a desperate man."

The boys moved as quietly as they could through the trees in an attempt to find their way back to the road. They stepped into what they thought would be a clearing and found themselves in what appeared to be somebody's living room. There was a small Hot Wheels set on the floor. Dean suddenly made a strange face and bent down to examine it more closely.

"What?" Sam asked.

Dean picked up a blue car as he spoke. "I used to have one of these… when I was a kid." He put the car back on the track and set it in motion.

The room began to shimmer and change into that of a small boy's. The furniture and walls changed.

"Kind of trippy, right?" asked Dean.

"Yeah." Sam suddenly noticed the change in his brother's appearance. His shirt had changed. It was now an adult sized version of one you would see a small child wear. The light blue shirt had a small teddy bear across the chest proclaiming that he loved hugs. Dean covered the shirt in embarrassment as his brother began to laugh.

"Shut up." Realization suddenly dawned on Dean as the surroundings became more familiar to him. "Wait a minute. I know where we are."

"Where?"

"We're home."

They heard a woman's voice calling for Dean. Turning to the doorway, they saw their mother. She looked so young and full of life in her pretty white dress as she smiled at Dean. "Hey, Dean. You hungry?" she asked. The boys weren't sure how to react to Mary's sudden appearance. They just followed her into the kitchen.

Dean sat at the small kitchen table and watched Mary pour him a glass of milk. He smiled at her when she brought the glass and a sandwich over to him.

"You want the crust cut off?"

"Yeah. I'd love that."

Sam tried to get his mother's attention, but she continued to move as if she had never heard him. He looked to his brother and then back at Mary. She looked right at him but did not see him.

"I guess this is not your memory, Sam," Dean said. "Sorry."

"Dean, uh. We should… go. Keep looking for the road."

"Just…just give me a minute, okay?"

This was the closest thing to bliss Dean had felt in a very long time. Even with his brother trying to convince him to go, he wanted to stay in that moment just a little bit longer. He wanted to stay in a time before the angels, before demons, before all of the terrible things that went bump in the night became more than just a bad dream.

Sam reluctantly gave his brother the time he wanted. If he was being honest with himself, he would have loved to of had a memory like this, a time when their mother cared for them and loved them. He had no memory of her at all. He had been far too young when she died. All he had were memories of monsters and motels until Alex came along. He thought back to the memory he had woken up in. Those peaceful loving moments and been few and far between for them. Even with all of the love, there was always another fight just around the corner. There was always a hunt to go on, a demon to kill. Peace and quiet was not something Sam every really had.

The phone rang. The boys listened as Mary spoke with their father, frustration clear in her voice.

Dean's eyes grew wide. "I remember this," he said. "Mom and Dad were fighting and then he moved out for a couple days."

"Dad always said they had the perfect marriage."

"It wasn't perfect until after she died."

Mary hung up the phone and turned her back to the table. A small sniffling sound could be heard. The boys saw her shoulders shake as she fought back tears.

"What happens next?" asked Sam.

Dean didn't respond. He just stood and went to his mother, pulling her into a tight hug. "It's okay, Mom. Dad still loves you. I love you, too. I'll never leave you." Mary pulled away from him and smiled as she cupped his cheeks.

"You are my little angel." Her smile widened. "How 'bout some pie? Okay." She moved away to get the pie. Dean walked over to where Sam stood shaking his head sadly.

"What?" Dean asked.

"I just never realized how long you've been cleaning up Dad's messes."

Dean frowned. "Whatever. Let's keep moving."

They searched the house, opening every door they came to as they went. Sam came across a postcard that said Route 66.

"I've seen this somewhere before," he said.

"Where?"

The room suddenly changed again, and they found themselves in a beat-up old building. Postcards and road signs littered the walls. Sam instantly knew where they were. He had been on his own for nearly two weeks. He had stolen Dean's watch and run away. He'd even had a dog called Bones for a while.

He gave a joyous laugh as the dog ran up to him. He scratched him behind the ears and gave him a pizza crust from a box on the makeshift coffee table.

"This is a good memory for you?"

"Yeah," Sam laughed. He didn't expect Dean to understand, but he didn't expect his reaction either. "What?"

Dean told Sam what those two weeks had been like for him, how he had feared his brother was dead. Guilt filled Sam's soul as he listened to what his brother had to say.

"Dean, look, I'm sorry. I never thought about it like that."

"Forget, it. Let's roll."

Dean moved to the door and marched through it. Sam gave Bones a final scratch behind the ears before following his brother out the door.

They stood in the middle of the road and watched their surroundings quickly change from day to night. An old house with a wrap-around porch appeared before them. Sam instantly knew where they were. Dean on the other hand took a second to catch up.

"What memory is this?"

"No idea," Sam lied. He did not want to see what would happen when Dean realized where they were. "Alright, come on. Dean. . . Road. God. Remember?"

"Wait a minute," Dean said as realization struck him. "Wait a minute. This? This is the night you ditched us for Stanford isn't it?" Sam found himself unable to meet his brother's gaze and looked down at his feet. "This is your idea of Heaven? Wow. This was one of the worst nights of my life."

"I can't control this stuff."

"Seriously? I mean this is a happy memory for you?"

"I don't know. I mean, I was on my own. I finally got away from Dad."

"Yeah, he wasn't the only one you got away from."

Sam tried to apologize. He tried to make Dean see his side of things, but he didn't want to hear it.

"C'mon!" Dean yelled. "The sex, Alex… I get that. But your idea of Heaven is bailing on your family. What do you want me to say?"

"Man, I never got the crusts cut off my PB & J. I just don't look at family the way you do."

"Yeah, but I'm your family."

There it was. The truth behind why Dean was so upset. None of Sam's memories involved him. Nearly every moment that Sam treasured involved him running away from him or clinging to someone else, and that caused him more pain than he was ever going to be able to admit.

Sam took a step forward to try and make amends when a searchlight hit him. The boys looked up and then started to run for the trees. They only made it a few steps before Zachariah appeared before them, a smug look upon his face.

"Did you really think you could just sneak past me into Mission Control?" he asked.

The boys said nothing. They merely watched as several more angels appeared around them, surrounding them.

"Let's brass tack this, shall we?"

Dean couldn't keep his mouth shut any longer. The rage inside of him was too great. "You gunna ball-gag us until we say yes? Huh, yeah, I've heard that one too."

The angel was not amused. He took a few steps towards Dean, staring daggers into his eyes before slamming his fist into the man's stomach. He doubled over in pain and groaned as the force of the blow caused his abdomen to catch fire.

"I'm going to do a lot more than that," said Zachariah. "I've cleared my schedule. Get him up."

The lackeys grabbed both of the boys and held them up in vice-like grips so they could not escape. Sam struggled against the ones that held him as he watch Zachariah punch his brother yet again. It was obvious that the angel was angry. He had been the model of perfection until he was given Dean Winchester as an assignment. Now he was looked down upon and laughed at. He pulled his fist back again.

"Excuse me. Sir?" they heard a voice ask.

Zachariah turned to the intruder. "I'm in a meeting," he said.

"I'm sorry. I need to speak to those two."

"Excuse me?"

"It's a bad time, I know, but I'm afraid I have to insist."

"You don't get to insist jack-squat."

The newcomer did not back down. He just stared at Zachariah in an unnervingly calm fashion. "No, you're right. But the boss does. His orders."

For the first time, Zachariah faltered, "You're lying."

"I wouldn't lie about this. Look, fire me if you want. Sooner or later, he's going to come back home and you know how he is with that whole wrath thing."

Zachariah looked at the two brothers for a moment before turning back to the intruder. His jaw was set in a hard line as he fought the rage that was building up inside of him. With a fluttering of wings, Zachariah and his men were gone. Sam and Dean moved closer together as they stared at their savior and watched in awe as their surroundings transformed into a beautiful garden.

Sam spun around a few times, taking in the surroundings. "This is heaven's Garden?" he asked.

"It's – it's nice…ish. I guess." To say that Dean was underwhelmed would be a vast understatement. He expected something much grander. This looked like some place you could visit any time.

The angel spoke. "You see what you want to here. For some it's God's throne room; for others it's Eden. You two, I believe it's the Cleveland Botanical Gardens. You came here on a field trip." Sam nodded. "I'm Joshua."

The boys' eyes lit up as they recognized the name. "So you talk to God?"

"Mostly, He talks to me."

"Well we need to speak to Him. It's important."

"Where is He?" Dean asked.

"On Earth."

The boys were stunned. They listened as Joshua explained everything to them. God knew what was happening. He just wasn't going to do anything to stop it. Saving the boys was more than he had done in a very long time. He was the one who made them suddenly appear in the Impala when Lucifer was released. He saved Castiel. There was nothing more he was willing to do.

"But he can stop it," Dean said. "He can stop all of it."

"I suppose He could," replied Joshua, "but He won't."

"Why not?"

"Why does He allow evil in the first place? You could drive yourself nuts asking questions like that?"

"So he's just going to sit back and watch the world burn?"

"I know how important this was to you, Dean I'm sorry."

Dean fought to control his emotions and make it sound as if it was no big deal, but Joshua saw right through it.

"You lost your best friend. You can't kill the Devil, and you're losing faith, in yourself, your brother, and now this?" Sam looked at his brother in shock as the realization of just how desperate Dean had become sank in. "God was your last hope. I just... I wish I could tell you something different."

They wanted to question if he was telling the truth, but deep down they knew it was no lie. They had reached the end of the road. They hung their heads as Joshua told them it was time for them to go home.

"I'm afraid this time, won't me like the last," the angel said. "This time, God wants you to remember." He began raising his hand. "And Sam," the younger Winchester looked at him expectantly, "He wants me to tell you to remember that whoever holds the heart of the Mayfair controls her destiny." With a whooshing sound and a flash of light, the angel vanished.

* * *

Sam's eyes flew open as his lungs gasped for the breath they had long been denied. He sat up panting, and looked to his brother who was in very much the same state. He examined his shirt and found that it was stained with his blood and littered with bullet holes. It had not been a dream.

"You alright?" Sam asked.

"Define alright."

Dean reached for his cell phone to call Castiel and fill him in on what had happened. Sam listened to the conversation as the last words Joshua spoke to him repeated in his head. _Whoever holds the Mayfair's heart, controls her destiny._

* * *

Few words were spoken as the boys packed their bags to leave. Castiel had given up all hope when Dean told him God didn't care. Sam kept replaying Joshua's words over and over again in his mind as he struggled to make sense of them. Suddenly the image of Alex standing next to Lucifer flashed in his mind. He remembered the way the red heart necklace around her neck seemed to glow every time he thought she was about to come to hi before becoming cold as ice yet again. His eyes grew wide in realization.

"Dean," he said. "I know what Joshua meant." Dean cocked an eyebrow at him. "About Alex. He said whoever held her heart controlled her destiny right?"

"I hate to break it to you Sammy, but she only has eyes for Senor Psychopath now. "

"No Dean it's not that. The necklace. He's controlling her with the necklace."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment and leave kudos.


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter contains adult content that may not be suitable for all ages. Reader discretion is advised.

How do you find the Queen of Hell? Simple. Follow the demons. Sam and Dean had had little luck so far. They had captured a few demons and gotten as much out of them as they could, but none of them had been able to lead them to Alex. The last one they had captured even went so far as to say, "You'll never find Alexandra. The Queen is well beyond your reach." Sam had thrown a bucket of holy water on him shortly after that. Instead of just exorcising the demon after right then and there, he threw one more bucket of water on him the instant he stopped screaming the first time before plunging the knife into his neck.

Dean had just sat back and watched his brother rage. As he did, he began to wonder what would happen if Sam was wrong. What if the necklace wasn't the key, and there was no way to save Alex? He wasn't sure he would be able to save Sam from himself if that were the case. His biggest fear was no longer what would happen if he said yes to Michael, but what would Sam do if he couldn't get Alex back.

* * *

Their latest target had brought them to an abandoned house on the outskirts of a small town. Dean cut the engine of the Impala at the far end of the long gravel driveway. Sam was careful to shut the trunk as silently as possible. Their boots crunched the gravel oh so gently as they approached the porch.

The boys stood on either side of the door, guns at the ready. Dean held up three fingers to let Sam know what their silent count would be. Sam nodded his head in understanding and watched as his brother gave the signal and kicked in the door.

The demon they had followed stood on the far side of the room. She threw up her hands in surrender as she watched them move into the room. "Please don't hurt me," she begged. The words had barely left her mouth before a sadistic grin formed on her lips causing a cold shiver to run up Sam's spine.

"Wondered when you boys would show up," a decidedly male voice said from behind them.

Turning, they found no less than a dozen demons coming into the house behind them. Exchanging a quick look of panic, Dean shouted, "Run!" and began to fire his gun. Sam quickly followed suit. His weapon was knocked from his hand as he reached the door, forcing him to punch his way out the door.

Dean, seeing his brother in trouble, tried to lay down some cover fire in front of him. It proved to be only marginally successful as one of the demons pulled a small pocket knife from his pocket and flicked it open with one hand. Dean called out a warning to his brother. Sam was able to turn his torso enough to avoid an immediately fatal wound, but the blade still sliced his skin. He let out a yell of pain as he continued to fight his way through the mob in front of him.

The boys fought their way through the doorway and began racing towards the Impala. As they raced down the road, more demons began to emerge from the trees. Sam dared not turn to see if his brother was still behind him. "Dean?" he called out. "Go! Go!" he heard his brother yell as he jumped up and slide over the car's hood. He looked up as he pulled the door open and saw Dean doing the same on the opposite side.

Gravel flew and tires squealed as they peeled away from their attackers. More and more demons began to appear from between the trees as they sped away. One even ran into the road directly in front of them. Dean had no choice but to run the man over as they tried to make their escape. More demons kept coming.

"Drive faster, Dean," Sam demanded.

"I can't." It was true. He didn't know the area well and if he pushed his baby much more he would not be able to make it around any sudden turns. Getting away from the demons was important, but it would do them no good to get away only to die in a fiery car crash. Dean noticed his brother inspecting his knife wound. "Are you okay?"

Sam gave a small hiss of pain before responding. "Yeah, I'm amazing."

"You ever seen that many?"

"No. No way, not in one place."

"What the hell?"

Dean was forced to suddenly slam on the breaks to keep from ramming into a burning truck that sat in the middle of the road, blocking their escape. Demons suddenly appeared on all sides and attacked the boys through the open windows.

The situation was hopeless. There was no escape for them this time, and they knew it. Sam closed his eyes and prepared to meet his end as one of the demons began to pull him through the window, but the end never came.

A fire truck suddenly appeared and began hosing the demons down with what could only have been holy water. A man stood near it with a megaphone saying an exorcism ritual that the boys had never heard before. Black smoke poured from their mouths as the vessels went limp.

"Well that's something you don't see every day," Dean said.

The man with the megaphone came up to them. "You two alright?"

"Peachy."

"Be careful. It's . . . dangerous around here."

The man turned to walk away. Dean quickly followed him. If these were hunters, they were pulling off things he didn't know were possible. He wanted to know how. They called themselves the Sacrament Lutheran Militia, whoever that was. What was even more interesting was that they seemed to know exactly what was going on. They knew all about the demons and the Apocalypse and talked about it as if it was just another day at the office.

Sam and Dean were a bit skeptical, but these boys had just saved their necks and were obviously doing something right. Convincing them that they were all on the same team was a little tricky. Dean popped open the trunk of the Impala and showed them their weapons stash. After a few more minutes, the one that appeared to be in charge told Sam and Dean to follow them.

* * *

They took them to a small church in the center of town. Two armed men stood at the gate to the fence surrounding the church yard. Sam's eyebrows rose a bit when he noticed the red devil's trap that also guarded the gate. It was done in such a way that nobody could reach the church without crossing it.

The inside of the church was even more surprising. Everyone seated in the pews appeared to be armed. As the boys made themselves comfortable standing at the back of the room, Sam couldn't help but comment on what was happening at the altar.

"Wedding? Seriously?"

One of the town's folk named Paul came and stood next to them. "Yeah," he said. "We've had eight so far this week."

They continued to watch on in silence as the pastor finished the ceremony and everyone congratulated the happy couples on their wedded bliss. Dean couldn't help but notice how young they all were and leaned over to speak quietly into his brother's ear. "Twenty bucks says they are doing this just so they can have get laid."

It was at that moment that Pastor Gideon decided to make his presence behind them known. "So Rob tells me you boys hunt demons."

Sam quickly spun around and began to stutter his response to the pastor's question, silently praying that he hadn't heard what Dean said. "Uh . . . yes sir."

"You missed a few." Sam chuckled. _Guess he didn't hear._ "Yeah. Tell us about it. Any idea why they're here?"

Pastor Gideon shook his head in response. "They sure seem to like us, though. Follow me, gentlemen." He led the boys through the church and down into the basement. Dean was amazed to see everyone there. Everyone seemed to be working on weapons or ammunition. He even saw a young girl packing salt rounds. What was even more astounding was that it was not just the church, but the whole town that was involved.

"A whole town full of hunters," said Dean. "I don't know whether to run screaming or by a condo."

"Well the demons were killing us. We had to do something."

"Why not call the National Guard?" Sam asked.

"We were told not to."

"By who?"

The question obviously made the preacher very uncomfortable. He insisted that he couldn't discuss it until a young woman walked up beside him.

"Dad, it's okay."

"Leah . . ."

She looked directly at the boys as she spoke. "It's Sam and Dean Winchester. They're safe. I know all about them."

This caught the boys completely by surprise. Dean was sure that if he had ever met a girl that pretty he would remember her. "You do?"

"Sure. From the angels."

"The angels. Awesome."

"Don't worry," she assured them. "They can't see you here. The . . . marks on your ribs, right?"

"So you know all about us because angles told you?" Sam asked.

"Yes. Among other things."

She, Leah, was apparently the one who had taught the town everything they knew. She even told them where to look for the demons, claiming that the angels showed her everything beforehand. Sam wasn't entirely sure he believed her. Dean on the other hand was willing to bite.

"And let me guess," he said. "Before you see something, you get a really bad migraine, you see flashing lights?"

Leah looked stunned. "How'd you know?"

"'Cause you're not the first prophet we've met." He paused for a moment. "But you are the cutest." She blushed prettily at his words and cast a glance up at Sam. There was a familiarity in the look that threw Sam off guard. Not enough to miss the daggers Pastor Gideon was staring at Dean however. Dean noticed as well and quickly tried to recover. "I mean that with total respect, of course."

Leah blushed a little deeper and cast another glance Sam's way before returning to her previous task. Pastor Gideon didn't have to say anything else. The look he had given Dean was one that only a father could possess. It clearly said 'stay away from my daughter.' Dean nodded his understanding.

"Um," Sam began, "is there a place we can sleep for the night?"

"Sure. There is a motel just around the corner. I'll show you."

* * *

Once they were settled in, Sam decided to go get a drink and tried to call Castiel. All he got was a rather confused voicemail. After leaving a message, he finished his beer and met Dean back at the motel room. Dean asked him about the angel the minute he set foot inside the door.

Their conversation quickly moved to why there were so many demons in the area. Dean's leading theory was that they were there for Leah Gideon. Having a prophet that can predict their every move and by virtue stop them cold was not something they would want to keep around for long.

That idea did not sit too well with Sam. If that was in fact the case and the angels knew it, they were lining these people up to become part of a slaughter house.

"We're all gunna die, Sam," Dean said. "In like a month – maybe two. I mean it. This is the end of the world, but these people aren't freaking out. In fact they're running to the exit in an orderly fashion. I don't know that that's such a bad thing."

Sam was stunned. He knew that things had been weighing heavily on his brother's mind as of late. He could see it. Every time they turned on the news and there was another omen, each time he sat down to take a drink after a hunt, Sam noticed the fight going out of his brother's eyes. He just worried how close he was to giving up.

"Who says they're all gunna die? What ever happened to us saving them?"

Dean never got the opportunity to respond as the church bells began to toll.

* * *

Everyone filed into the church. Leah Gideon had had another vision. The pastor stood at the alter with his daughter and waited for everyone to take their places before he began.

"Three miles off Tallmadge Road," he said. Leah whispered in his ear. "Five miles," he corrected. "There are demons gathered. I . . . don't know how many, but a lot. Thank you, Leah. So, who's going to join me?"

The man who led the hunting party that rescued the boys, Rob, was the first to volunteer. Paul, the bar owner, was quick to follow.

"We're in, Padre," Dean said from the back of the room and gestured to Sam and himself.

Pastor Gideon thanked them all for their bravery and offered up a prayer before they prepared to depart.

* * *

With the added help and a high powered Enochian exorcism, it took them little time to dispatch the band of demons.

"I guess that's what it's like, huh?" Sam asked as they made their way back to the vehicles they had come in.

"What?" was Dean's response.

"Having backup."

Everyone was loading into the cars when a teenage boy named Dylan came up to the Winchesters. "Hey," he said. "So, um, is – is that – is that cool that I get a ride back with you guys?"

Sam and Dean exchanged a look before nodding to his parents in the other vehicle that they would cover him. "Hey, you saved my ass twice already. One more time, you can drive." He checked to make sure the others were out of sight. "Get a beer?" The teens eyes widened in excitement as the elder Winchester tossed him a can. He caught it and thanked Dean. "Hey, you earned it. Don't tell your mom."

"Oh, believe me. I will not."

He was just about to take his first sip when something reached from under the Impala and dragged him under. Dylan screamed as he disappeared from sight.

Dean yelled his name and quickly pulled the hidden demon from under the car and held her as Sam dispatched her, but it was already too late. They pulled Dylan from under the car to find his throat cut and his eyes lifeless.

* * *

Sam had been the one to break the news of their son's untimely death to Rob and Jane. The image of Jane collapsing against her husband in heartbroken sobs still played in Sam's mind as he sat alone in the back of the sanctuary watching everyone prepare for Dylan's funeral. _It's all my fault. He was just a kid. I should have made Dean force him to ride with the others._ A hand on his shoulder and a soft voice saying his name forced him from his thoughts.

"Are you alright?" Leah asked as she gave him a soft smile.

"Yeah, I'm good."

She looked directly into his eyes as if she were searching for something. A strange sense of familiarity washed over Sam as he stared into their brown depths, and for a moment he could have sworn he saw her eyes change color.

"You blame yourself too much." Sam blinked his eyes and snapped out of the strange trance he had found himself in. "Dylan's death was not your fault. Neither was your brother's or Alex's."

Sam was stunned. He had never spoken to anyone in that town about their past. He never even mentioned Alex's name. "How do you know about that?"

She just smiled. "I know a lot more than you think, Sam Winchester."

* * *

Dylan's funeral was held later that day. Dean had struggled with what to say to the boy's mother ever since they pulled him out from under the car. All he could manage when the time came was that they were sorry. He knew it wasn't enough. Nothing ever could be. They had been entrusted with that boy's life and had failed. Jane was right to tell them it was their fault.

 _How could I have been so stupid?_ Dean thought. _I can't save these people. Not like this. Maybe I should just…_

Leah Gideon suddenly fell to the ground in a seizure like fit. The gasps and cries of the congregation pulled Dean from his thoughts. Pastor Gideon tried to calm his daughter with reassuring words. When the seizure stopped, she spoke the dead boy's name. Pastor Gideon tried to make her rest, but she sat up and prepared to address the room.

"No, listen. Dylan's coming back," she said. She looked at his parents with a calm reassuring smile. "Jane, Rob… It's going to be okay. You'll see Dylan again. When the final day comes, Judgment Day, he will be resurrected and you'll be together again. We'll all be together. With all our loved ones. We've been chosen. The angels have chosen us, and we will be given paradise on Earth. All we have to do is follow the angels' commandments."

As Leah began to list off the new laws they were to follow, Sam eyed her with a skeptical gaze. Something wasn't right. First she knew all about his past, and now everyone is agreeing to her every word as if it was gospel. It left a bad taste in his mouth and a feeling in his gut he couldn't quite place.

* * *

Dean sought out Leah after helping pack some more salt rounds. He found her laying on a couch in the church office with her eyes closed in relaxation.

"This a bad time?" he asked.

Lean moved to sit out. "In general." The corners of her mouth turned up slightly at her joke. "Now's okay."

"Angel stuff really takes it out of you, huh?"

"Can't complain. I know you have it worse. So . . . what's on your mind, Dean?"

Dean sighed. He had run into his brother outside a few minutes before. Sam had apparently spoken to her and had a bad feeling about everything. Dean agreed that it was all a little weird, but he was tired. He'd been fighting the good fight for a long time and had reached the point where being done sounded very appealing, no matter what the cost. "Don't take this the wrong way but . . . are you on the level?"

"About what?" she asked, her expression never changing.

"About paradise."

"What about it?"

He wasn't sure if this girl was being naive on purpose or just so clean that she squeaked. "I want to know what the angels are telling you. Everything."

She knew it all. She knew about him and his brother being Michael and Lucifer's vessels and the epic prize-fight that would ensue once they said yes. She also described what things would be like when it was all over. The only life Dean had ever known was filled with monsters and death. While being without those things sounded rather scary, he also had to admit that it sounded pretty nice too.

* * *

 

Sam had gone to Paul's tavern for a couple of drinks after his meeting with Leah Gideon and subsequent argument with his brother. He'd needed time to clear his head and process his thoughts. The more he thought about it, the more things just didn't sit right with him. When he saw Dean sitting on his bed in their room at the Green Valley Motel, he just had to say his peace. "You hear they shut down the cell towers?"

"No. That's, uh, news to me."

"Yeah. No cable, internet. Total cut off from the 'corruption of the outside world.'"

"Huh."

His brother's apparent lack of interest amazed him. "Don't you get it? They're turning this place into some kind of fundamentalist compound."

"No, I get it."

"And all you've got's a 'humm?' What's wrong with you?"

"I get it. I just don't care."

There it was. The moment Sam had feared was coming for some time now. He never thought he would see the day that Dean Winchester would just give up. Retreat sure, but he always found a way to fight back. To see him just throwing in the towel sent Sam into a full on panic.

"At what point does this become too far for you? Stoning? Poisoned Kool-Aid? The angels are toying with these people!"

"Angel world, angel rules, man."

"And since when is that okay with you?"

"Since the angels' got the only lifeboats on the Titanic."

Dean wished he could make Sam understand. He really did. Without him saying yes to Michael, there was no other way to save these people. Every last one of them would be dead if something didn't happen soon. At times he was sorely tempted to just give in. How bad could it be if he just said yes to Michael? At least then he could save a few people. _No, Dean. Don't go there._

"I got one thing," Sam said as his words broke through Dean's mental battle, "one thing, keeping me going. You think you're the only one white-knuckling it here, Dean? I can't count on anyone else. I can't do this alone. What if you're right? What if there is no way to save Alex? What do I have to fight for then hu?" Dean didn't respond. He grabbed his jacket and headed for the door. "Dean."

"I got to clear my head" was the only thing he said before disappearing into the night.

He stared at the closed door for a few minutes before sinking onto his own mattress. "Gggah," he groaned in frustration before running his hands through his hair. Closing his eyes, he steepled his hands in front of his face and shut his eyes tight as he fought to regain control of his whirling emotions as the door suddenly opened.

"I got your message," Castiel said as he stumbled through the door. It was long, your message. And I find the sound of your voice grating."

Sam took a moment to assess the angel's appearance. He was unsteady on his feet and seemed to have a hard time putting words together. "What's wrong with you?" Then it hit him. "Are you drunk?

"No! . . . Yes."

"What the hell happened to you?" Sam asked as he helped the angel into a chair.

"I found a liquor store."

"And?"

"And I drank it. Why'd you call me?"

Sam did his best to make sure Cas was okay before telling him all that had happened. He started with trying to track down Alex to see if his necklace theory was correct. He then moved on to the massive demon attacks until he got to Leah Gideon and her prophetic abilities.

"She's not a prophet," Castiel deadpanned as he continued to look straight ahead.

"I'm pretty sure she is. Visions, headaches – the whole package.

"The names of all of the prophets, they are seared into my brain," Castiel spoke as he stood to his now surprisingly steady feet. "Leah Gideon is not one of them."

"Then what is she?" Sam asked.

"The Whore."

"What?"

"The Whore of Babylon."

Sam's eyes went wide, panic slowly seeping into his brain. "We need to find Dean."

* * *

They searched for nearly an hour, but could not find the elder Winchester anywhere. Sam prayed that he hadn't decided to do anything stupid. It seemed as though his prayers had been answered when Dean came walking through the door a few minutes later with blood on his hands.

"You alright?"

"Yeah. It's – it's not my blood. Paul's dead."

He relayed the events in the bar to his two stunned companions.

"It's starting," said Castiel.

"What's starting?"

Sam waited for Dean to sit down before he started. He told him all about what he and Castiel had discussed before. About how Leah wasn't really a prophet. She was what the Book of Revelation called the 'Whore of Babylon." She could make herself look like anyone, read minds, alter thoughts, and even control demons.

"Sound like anyone else we know?" Sam asked. Dean just looked confused. "Alex. What if she is Alex?"

"I think you're reaching there, Sammy."

"What if I'm not? Look," he showed him the old Bible they had laid out on the table. "She rises with Lucifer, has all these powers . . . what if this is our chance?"

"And what if it's not? What if this bitch and Alex aren't the same person? What do we do then?"

Castiel spoke up, "I think I might know a way. We will need a true Servant of Heaven." The boys looked at him in confusion for a moment before he continued. "Heaven and I are not exactly on good terms at the moment, and while Dean may be Michael's vessel, his lack of cooperation has proven him to be anything but a servant."

"Then who do we know that can take care of her?" Sam asked.

Dean had little emotion in his voice as he spoke. "Looks like it's time to pay Gideon a visit."

* * *

Pastor Gideon was appalled by what he had just seen. How could Leah tell someone that murder was okay? He didn't raise her to think that way, and he could not seem to wrap his head around the idea of the angels telling her something that contradicted God's word. It was part of the Ten Commandments for crying out loud. How was this even possible? Nothing made sense to him anymore. And then to have her stand in front of the congregation and tell them round up all of the sinners... His blood had run cold when she had threatened to name him when he tried to talk some sense into her.

He had been so lost in thought that he didn't not realize anyone else was there until he had run into them. He was about to apologize when the man spoke.

"Pastor David Gideon." It was not a question of his identity so much as a confirmation of fact.

"Yeah. Who are you?"

"I'm an angel of the Lord."

"Yeah sure," he said in disbelief. The man placed two fingers on his forehead. There was a brilliant flash of light, and he suddenly found himself in a motel room with the Winchesters and the man he had encountered. "What the hell was that?"

"Yeah," Dean said, "he wasn't lying about the angel thing. Have a seat, Padre. We got to have a chat."

Dean began to calmly tell him their theory about Leah being the Whore of Babylon. He conveniently left Sam's little theory out of it. The chances that the prophecy in Revelation and the one about the Mayfair were for the same person was so small that he didn't even want to entertain the idea. He wanted to just go in there and put her out of everybody else's misery, plain and simple.

It was all too much for Pastor Gideon. The thought that his little girl could be some monster from Hell was too much. "That's impossible," he said.

"But it's true," Sam said. "And deep down, you know it. Look, we get it – it's too much. But if you don't do this, she's going to kill a lot of people. And damn the rest to Hell."

Castiel produced a long piece of wood from under his coat and handed it to the father.

"What's this?" he asked.

"A cypress branch from a tree in Babylon. It's the only thing that can kill her."

The father looked at the branch in his hand. He measured the weight of it and made his decision.

* * *

They were as careful as possible as the snuck back into the church. They saw the people being locked into the storage area on Leah's word as they made their way to the office. Pastor Gideon had to fight back the bile in his throat when she ordered them to be burned alive.

"Fire purifies them," she said. "It is their only chance to make it to Heaven."

She had a self-satisfied smirk on her face as she walked into the church office and shut the door, unaware of the audience she had. Sam watched with interest and she moved towards a mirror on the opposite side of the room. As she looked into the mirror, her face began to warp and change into that of another woman. One that had bright blue-gray eyes, pale skin, and auburn hair. In an instant the image changed again, and she was Leah Gideon once more.

Sam's eyes grew wide. "Alex." While the word was just a whisper, it was enough to let her know they were there. Gideon was advancing on her quickly, but she turned and pinned him to the wall with her eyes. There was no sense it keeping the charade up now. She knew that they had seen her true face. It would serve no purpose to pretend to be Leah Gideon any longer.

Castiel tried to grab her, but she began chanting a spell in Enochian that brought the angel to his knees in pain.

"Alex." Sam had called out to her this time. She turned her head sharply to look at him and his brother as they emerged from their hiding place. She extended a hand to them wordlessly, causing them to go flying backwards into the wall. She then turned and did the same to Pastor Gideon one more time before darting from the room.

Sam watched in horror as he saw the look of resolve and hatred form on the father's face as he started to go after the thing that had been pretending to be his daughter. His hand tightened around the cypress branch before scrambling to his feet and running after her. "Gideon! Wait! No!" Sam began to panic. If he didn't get to Alex first, Gideon would kill her and there would be no chance of saving her.

"Damn it," Dean said as he rose to his feet to give chase as well. Sam had been right. The Queen of Hell was masquerading as the Whore of Babylon, and he had just handed the one thing that could possible kill her to a vengeful pastor that just found out his daughter was dead. "This just keeps getting better."

* * *

Alex ran into the room screaming that the man chasing her was a demon. The crowd didn't even think twice before grabbing Pastor Gideon and forcing him to drop the stake in the process.

The entire room was in utter chaos when Sam and Dean came in. Dean tackled the man about to light the kerosene while Sam moved towards Alex.

"Hello, Sam," she said. While she may still have looked and sounded like Leah Gideon, Sam could see the woman she truly was shining in her eyes.

"Alex don't do this," he said as he stooped down to pick up the fallen branch and tossed it to his brother.

She gave a mocking laugh. "Please. Like you're a servant of Heaven," she spat before turning back to Sam. "Besides, Sam would never let you hurt me. He's still in love with me aren't you, Sam?"

Sam was frozen in fear. He could see Dean coming up behind her with the branch raised. If what Cas said was true and Dean stabbed her, there was a chance she could die. He started to reach a hand out and call to Dean, but stopped when he saw his brother take the blunted end and strike Alex on the head.

He raced forward and caught her just before she hit the ground. His hands frantically began searching her neck for the chain he prayed was still there. Panic started to swell in him for a moment when all he could find was Leah Gideon's cross, but then he found a second chain that disappeared under her shirt. He began frantically pulling the chain to reveal the hidden glowing heart pendent at the end. Giving it a solid yank. The chain broke from around her neck as Alex's eyes shot open. A ragged gasping sound escaped her throat as if she hadn't been able to breath in months.

The visage of Leah Gideon began to melt away, revealing Alex in all her glory, red halter dress and heels securely in place. Her eyes quickly shifted to Sam's as he held the necklace aloft in his hand. "Sam?" Her voice was small and weak when she spoke.

Seeing the recognition in her eyes, Sam quickly smashed the necklace on the concrete floor and watched it shatter. Alex's eyes flashed amber-gold as she bolted upright, another gasp escaping her throat. Sam watched with bated breath as she turned towards him, her eyes wide. When their eyes connected all he could see was love and adoration in them. "Sam," she sobbed as she flung herself into his arms. He held her as if she may vanish into thin air as she began to sob into his shoulder and her cries of relief filled the air.

"What's going on?" Gideon asked.

Dean put an arm around him and began pulling him away. "Come on. I'll tell you everything." As he left the room, he looked back at his brother and best friend embracing each other on the floor and couldn't help the small smile that formed on his lips.

* * *

Alex was not quite sure how to approach the pastor as she handed him an icepack. Dean had explained everything to him, assuring him that she had not been in control of her actions, but he was still a bit wary of her. She couldn't blame him. If someone had killed someone she loved and stolen their face, she wouldn't be quick to trust them either.

"I uh…. I'm sorry about Leah," she said with a shaky voice.

"Can you tell me where she is so that I can give her a proper burial?" he asked.

She panicked. There was no way he would want to hear his daughter's fate, but with all she had put him through; she at least owed him that. "What's left of her remains should be in the woods, about a quarter mile behind the church near a tree house." The fact that she was not looking at him did not go unnoticed by the others in the room. When the father asked her what she had meant by "What's left of her," Alex closed her eyes tight and swallowed. Sam, sensing her distress, took a small step towards her and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I sent hellhounds after her." A small crashing sound could be heard. Everyone turned in the direction of the nose to find Dean staring at Alex wide-eyed.

He had dropped his beer can and hit a table at Alex's words. Hellhounds didn't tend to leave much behind if they were given the chance to chow down. When he had been attacked they had made no move to eat him, but he had still ended up with bits missing. The mention of the foul creatures had brought back some rather harsh memories of pain unlike any other on this earth, and it had unnerved him slightly.

"I'm so sorry," Alex cried.

Hearing the break in her voice, the pastor looked up and saw tears of sorrow streaming down the Queen of Hell's face. She was the reason so many of them had died. Yet as he looked at her, he could see the longing for forgiveness in her eyes. Anyone who looked like that felt profound guilt for their actions. He may want to kill her for murdering his daughter, but he had to trust that God would take care of it in the end.

"I forgive you," he said.

"Thank you."

"Just the same," Gideon spoke as he stood. "I'd really appreciate it if you all left in the morning."

Sam was quick to respond, "Of course."

Dean said nothing. He just watched the exchange between the trio with detached interest until Gideon left the room. As his eyes left the door, they locked with Alex's. In that moment she saw everything he was thinking. Dean was dangerously close to saying yes to Michael. He had only held out this long for his brother. He didn't want Sam to be left alone. Now that he had Alex back, Dean didn't feel like he was needed anymore.

Alex called his name softly when she saw him move towards the door.

"Where you going?" Sam asked. When Dean didn't answer him, he looked at his girlfriend in confusion. The sound of the Impala's engine roaring to life quickly broke him from his thoughts. Running out of the room, he called his brother's name as he watched the tail lights disappear.

A light appeared behind him. Sam turned to find Alex standing in the doorway of the motel room. "Where's he going?"

"To do what he thinks he has to."

His brows knit in confusion for a moment before his eyes went wide in fear. "Come on. We have to stop him."

Alex rushed forward and grabbed Sam's arm before he could dash away. "Sam wait." He turned to look at her. "Nothing is going to happen tonight. He has some people he wants to see first. You can go after him tomorrow. I just got you back Sam. I don't want you running away on me just yet."

His eyes softened as he pulled her into an embrace. Alex willingly wrapped her arms around his waist. A hiss of pain escaped Sam's lips causing Alex to jerk back as if she had been bitten.

"You're hurt?"

"I'm okay," Sam said as he shook his head.

"Come on." Alex gestured towards the open door behind her. "Let me take a look."

Sam followed Alex inside and removed is plaid button-down shirt and sat on the end of the bed while Alex grabbed the first-aid kit. She could see a small patch of blood on his mid back. "Take your shirt off," she commanded as she took a seat behind him. She watched the muscles in his back ripple as he silently enacted his compliance. Her breath hitched slightly as she took in the sight before her. In an attempt to focus, Alex shut her eyes and took a deep breath before cleaning the cut on his back.

All of the muscles in Sam's back tightened the second Alex's hands made contact with his skin. Sensing his discomfort, Alex pulled away quickly.

"I'm sorry."

"No it's fine," Sam said. "It doesn't hurt really." He turned to look at her face and found himself being pulled into her eyes. She was just as transfixed as he was. They began to move towards each other as if some magnetic force was drawing them together.

"Are you sure?" she asked, voice no higher than a whisper as Sam's lips finally connected with her own.

It was as if Heaven's gates had been flung wide and all of the joy the Heavenly Host could muster flooded their souls. Alex wound her arms around Sam's neck as he turned his body completely towards her. The feel of his hands on her hips pulling her closer urge her on. She threw one of her legs over his, straddling him, as the kiss continued. It was not hurried or forceful, but languid and slow. There was no need to rush. They wanted this moment to last.

Sam had dreamed of this moment for months. Being separated from Alex had been torturous. He often woke at night reaching for the other side of the bed only to find her side empty. She was finally in his arms again, and Sam planned to savor every moment.

Every nerve ending on Alex's body began to tingle as she felt Sam's fingers graze along her spine as he lowered the zipper at the back of her dress. Once it was fully unzipped, Sam splayed his large hands across her back. Alex pulled her lips away from his and drew in a ragged breath. She opened her eyes and stared into his hazel orbs.

Slowly, she untangled her arms from around his neck and moved to stand. Reaching behind her neck, she undid the final snap holding her dress up and watched Sam's eyes darken with desire as it slowly feel down her body and pooled around her feet. Alex stepped out of her heels and quickly moved to take up her former position on Sam's lap. He welcomed her with open arms as their lips once again became joined. The feel of her hands pushing on his shoulders let him know that she wanted him to lay back. He was more than happy to oblige.

Sam's eyes were closed in pure bliss as he felt Alex's hands threading through his hair as her lips left his to trail down his neck. Her hands quickly followed and rested on his chest as she placed a tender kiss over his racing heart. Blown away by the tenderness of the gesture, Sam reached for her face and placed a finger under her chin. Alex halted her movement and allowed him to raise her eyes to his. The love and warmth she saw there almost brought her to tears.

"I love you," he said.

A small smile formed on Alex's lips. "I love you too."

Placing the hand at her chin behind her head, Sam pulled Alex back up to his lips and began kissing her anew. He used his weight to roll them over until Alex was resting on the mattress beneath him. Using his arms to hold himself up, he took in the sight of the goddess below him. Her auburn hair fanned out around her in a halo of soft curls. Her lips were red and swollen with his kisses. Trailing his eyes lower, he saw her chest heave with her slightly labored breathing. Sam dipped his head and ran the tip of his tongue along the swell of her right breast. The sound she made only encouraged him more, and he pulled the cup of her bra down to expose her taught nipple. He suckled her gently as his other hand massaged her left breast through the thing fabric.

A low guttural moan escaped her lips as Alex tangled her hands in Sam's hair. Her grip on his locks tightened as he pulled on the other side of her bra and began worshiping her other breast. His name spilled from her lips in a soft prayer as he lavished her other breast with the same attention he had given the first. Pulling hard on his hair, she brought their lips together again while using her hips to switch their positions once more.

Her lips quickly left his. Sam almost lodged a protest until her delicate tongue began to trace the outline of his taught abs. When he felt her hands move to the buckle on his belt, all of his muscles tightened. He could hear her give a small chuckle when he moaned at the feel of her fingers brushing his erection as she unzipped his pants. She started to tug on the waistband, and Sam lifted his hips to help her remove not only his jeans, but his boxers as well. He quickly began toeing off is boots and kicking the rest of his clothing off as she sat back on his thighs admiring the view.

The world was full of beauty and wonder. None could compare to the sight of a naked Sam Winchester in Alex's mind. There was already a slight sheen of sweat across his body. His tanned flesh looked invitingly delicious. As her eyes trailed down his impressive physique, they came to rest on his sizable erection. The tip shined with the first drops of precum. It looked so inviting that Alex could not stop herself from licking those precious drops from him as she unclasped her bra and tossed it to the side.

Sam's eyes nearly burst from his sockets when she took him into her mouth and began to suck. He could feel her tongue swirling the tip every time she reached the top before taking him all the way into her mouth again. He began to groan as he felt the pressure in his balls increase. His breath was coming in short gasps. He wouldn't last long at the rate she was going. As wonderful as her mouth was, he longed to come buried deep inside of her.

A wet popping sound could be heard as Sam pulled her away from him and threw her onto her back. Alex knew exactly what she had been doing to him and giggled. She could see the raging desire in his eyes and gave him a wicked smile in response.

The feeling of Sam's fingers trailing down her sides lit Alex's body on fire. They began near her breasts and went all the way to her toes, removing her panties along the way. She spread her legs wide as she watched Sam fling her under garments to some unknown spot in the room as he locked eyes with her again. He came closer, eyes never leaving hers until they closed during another passionate kiss. Wanting to make sure that she was ready for him, Sam's hand moved to her nether region. "Oh God," he groaned when he found her already dripping wet.

Alex made a high keening noise as Sam entered two fingers into her and began to pump. "Sam, please," she begged. He was only too willing to oblige. Removing his fingers, he quickly took hold of his member and aligned the tip to her entrance.

They both released sounds of pleasure as he began to slowly push his way inside of her. Sam struggled to maintain control as Alex began to move with him. He was determined to go slow, to worship her like the goddess he saw her as, but each time she raised her hips to meet his own he felt the desire to go faster. Alex felt the same. She wrapped her legs around Sam's lean waist and dug her heels into his backside to spur him onward. He obeyed her command and quickened his pace.

Alex began to pant and moan as Sam gained speed. He used his arms to hold his weight off of her and looked directly into her eyes as he started to grunt. Pressure began to build low in Alex's stomach as the bed began to bang into the wall behind it for all to hear. Sam was close. Alex's tight wet core was pulling him closer to completion with each thrust. Determined to have them come together, he shifted all of his weight onto his right arm and reached for the bundle of nerves at her center.

The second his fingers began to rub her clitoris, Alex's eyes rolled to the back of her head as her whole world exploded into Technicolor. Her muscles contracted so hard around Sam as she came that it brought him to his own orgasm. With one final thrust, he spilled his seed deep inside her as he gave a long low moan of pleasure. The arm he had been using to hold his weight gave way and his entire body rested upon Alex's much smaller frame. His weight was a welcome sensation. Their sweaty bodies remained a mass of tangled limbs and harsh breaths for a moment before Sam raised himself on shaky arms to look into his lover's eyes. She brushed a sweat soaked strand of hair from his forehead as he gave her a tender kiss full of love and promise.

He pulled himself from her body and rolled onto his back beside her. Alex rolled onto her side and rested her head against his chest. Wrapping an arm around her, they fell asleep listening to the sound of each other's breathing.

* * *

Light came in through the window and hit Sam's eyes. He tried to close them more tightly against the oncoming day, but it proved to be no use as he felt Alex begin to stir next to him. Slowly opening his eyes, he looked down at the beauty beside him and brushed a stray curl from her face.

"Morning," Alex said with a sleepy grin.

"Morning."

"I never did thank you for saving me."

"Oh I think last night was thanks enough." The happy smile began to melt from Alex's face. "What is it?"

"I have to go back today."

Sam's brow creased. "What do you mean?"

"I have to go back to Lucifer."

"What?!" Sam shot up in bed and looked at her in disbelief. "How can you even thing about that after last night? The necklace is broken. He can't control you anymore."

Alex sat up next to him and placed her hands on the side of his face to ensure that he would look her in the eye as she spoke. "Sam, listen to me. If I don't go back he will know something is up. If I'm there I can get inside information to help bring Lucifer down. Trust me I don't want to go back any more than you want me to, but it has to happen. It is the only way to take out the devil."

Her words made sense to him, but Sam still continued to shake his head at her. He did not want her going anywhere.

"Sam," he looked at her again, "I know a way to trap Lucifer, but if it is going to work I have to go back."

"How is you going back going to help? Alex, if you know a way to ice the devil then just tell me. Dean and I can handle it. You don't have to go back there. What if he figures out that you are playing him? I just got you back. I can't lose you again."

Alex kissed him soundly on the lips before pulling him into a tight embrace.

"It'll be okay. I promise. I'll check in with you and see you just as often as I can. I have to be there so that we can get to the Horsemen."

Sam pulled back slightly. "The Horsemen?"

Alex nodded. "Their rings are the key," she said. "The four of them together form the key to Lucifer's cage. If we open it, we can shove his ass back in there for good. Lock the door and throw away the key."

* * *

Her limbs felt heavy as she moved to stand from the bed and began to gather her clothing. She had just picked up her dress when she felt Sam's hands on her shoulders. The dress slipped from her hands as he pulled her against his strong chest and wrapped his arms around her.

"Don't go." There was no need to turn and look at him to know that he was crying. The break in his voice gave it away. Alex closed her eyes tight and gulped before turning to face him. She reached up to wipe the lone tear from his cheek. As she did, he pulled her in for another passionate kiss.

Unlike the kisses from the night before that were so full of promise, this was full of sorrow. They had just rejoined their other half only to have their souls ripped apart again. The pain was unbearable.

Sam was the first to break their contact this time. "Promise me you'll be okay."

"I promise."

He looked deep into Alex's eyes and held her face so that she would see the seriousness of his words. "If Lucifer even hints at knowing what is going on you run understand me?"

"I will," she said with a small nod.

Sam pulled his pants on and sat at the edge of the bed watching her gather her things and prepare to leave.

"As soon as I get Pestilence's location I'll send someone to you. All you have to do is stay alive until we get all of the rings together." She slipped on her shoes and moved to collect the broken necklace form the bedside table. "If he sees this he'll know I'm not his little lap dog anymore." Sam came to stand behind her and watched in awe as she used her magic to make the necklace whole again.

"How did you…?" he began to ask.

Alex chuckled. "I can do a lot more now." She handed the necklace to him and held her hair out of the way so he could fasten it for her. "Don't let Dean say yes." Sam pulled back and looked at her in bewilderment. "That's where he went last night. He wanted to take care of a few things first. You have to find him and keep him on this side of the fight okay? If he says yes to Michael, we may get a showdown with or without Lucifer using you as his favorite accessory."

Sam nodded. He was afraid that his brother had been going to do just as she had said when he left the night before. The fact that he had a head start on him should worry him, but he knew exactly where Dean would be going and what he would be doing. He still had a good 2 or 3 days to get to him before he threw in the towel. The feel of Alex's lips on his own again pulled him from his thoughts.

"I have to go."

"Let me get dressed and I'll take you part way."

"No need." Sam became very confused. "Part of the whole Queen of Hell gig. I love you."

"I love you too."

Sam watched in silence as Alex snapped her fingers and her eyes glowed with golden light before she flickered and disappeared from his sight. His breathing became accelerated as the weight of all that had happened came crashing down on him. The love of his life was back but trapped behind enemy lines trying to keep him and his brother safe. Dean was about to go off the deep end, and he was doing everything he could not to run out and find the closest demon he could to demand to be taken to Alex. She had been gone less than a minute and the desire to hold her in his arms again was already pulling him under, but her final words echoed in his head. _Don't let Dean say yes._

After gathering his things, Sam stole a car and set out for the one place he was sure his brother would go, to the one person actually. Lisa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments and kudos.


	40. Chapter 40

The amber liquid burned its way down Dean's throat as he paused in his packing. The box was almost full. His leather jacket and keys were already inside. He checked his gun before adding it to the collection, and he thought back to his conversation with Lisa. He meant it when he said he could see him having a life with her and Ben. Living a normal apple pie life was hard for him to comprehend, but any time he tried to picture himself in that setting it was always with them as his family.

He slammed the clip back into place before loading the gun and a letter he had written explaining everything in the box and sealing it shut. He had just finished sealing the box and writing Bobby's address on it when he heard a voice behind him say, "Sending someone a candy-gram?" He knew the voice instantly.

"How'd you find me?" Dean asked as he turned to face his brother. "Alex do a tracking spell?"

"No need too. I could find you on my own. You're going to kill yourself, right? It's not too hard to figure out the stops on the Farewell Tour. How's Lisa doing, anyways?"

"I'm not going to kill myself."

"No?" Sam asked as his anger began to rise. "So Michael's _not_ about to make you his Muppet? How is saying yes to him any different? What the hell, Dean? This is how it ends? You just . . .walk out?"

"Yeah, I guess."

This was exactly the type of confrontation he was hoping to avoid. The moment he saw Alex in his brother's arms again he knew Sammy would be alright without him. Better to just go ahead and get it over with before they all got sucked back in and couldn't escape anymore.

"Just . . . please," Sam begged. "Alex has a plan to stop Lucifer."

"Oh, really? Where is she anyway?"

"She's not here."

"She at Bobby's?"

"No."

Dean took a closer look at his brother. He was shifting his weight uncomfortably from foot to foot and refusing to look him in the eye. Something was off.

"Where is she then?"

Sam finally looked up. "She went back?"

"What?!" Dean exclaimed. "After all you went through to get her back you just let her up and walk away?"

"It's part of the plan, Dean. If she's there she can keep Lucifer distracted. Staying with me would tip him off to what was going on, and he'd put an end to it. You just have to trust me, Dean. Bobby's looking into where we can find the Horsemen. Let's just go back to the house and figure out where we go from here."

Dean just shook his head. Was his brother born an idiot or did he actually believe what was coming out of his mouth? "I'm not going anywhere," he said. "And there is no way you can make me Sammy."

"Yeah, I know. But I brought help."

Spinning on his heels, Dean found Castiel standing behind him. Before he could utter a word, the angel touched his fingers to his forehead and knocked him out cold.

* * *

Dean was mightily pissed off when he woke up on the couch in Bobby's office the next morning. The thought of just getting up and walking out had occurred to him, but he knew that his brother would only track him down again. It had been quite easy for Dean to track him down right after his return from Hell. They were brothers after all. There wasn't anything they didn't know about the other, made running off a real bitch.

The whole gang sat around and listened to Sam tell them Alex's plan. It was a good plan, he'd give her that. The fact still remained that she was nowhere to be seen in all of this. Packing up and heading back to Lucifer was not a good way to instil confidence in the eldest Winchester, and he had no problem letting everybody know about it.

"Yeah, no, this is good. Really. You know, eight months of turned pages and screwed pooches but tonight, tonight's when the magic happens."

"You ain't helpin'," Bobby grumbled.

"Yeah, well, why don't you let me get out of your hair, then?

Bobby could hardly believe what he was hearing. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Reality happened. Nuclear's the only option we have left. Michael can ice the devil, save a boatload of people."

"That's not true," said Sam. "Were you not even listening just now? Alex has a way for us to lock him up for good."

"Then where the hell is she, hu? Oh yeah. That's right. She went back to Lucifer. You'll have to forgive me Sam, but I have a hard time believing she's on our side when she is sticking to his."

"The necklace is shattered. The spell is broken. She doesn't have to do what he tells her anymore."

"Then it's even worse!" Dean paused for a moment and took a deep breath to calm himself before he continued. "Have you even paused to consider the fact that it didn't work? What if she's choosing Lucifer? Did you ever think about that Sam?" He saw his brother blink rapidly and swallow as his words began to sink in. "I'll take that as a no. What if she is setting you up to take the fall, Sam? What if it was all a lie?"

* * *

"Your majesty. You've returned," said a demon as he bowed to Alexandra. "I'll let Lucifer know."

Alex moved to the other end of the room, crossed her arms over her chest, and looked out the window while her mind wandered to the night before. If she closed her eyes, she could still feel Sam's hands on her skin. His scent still clung to her skin. A small smile played at the corners of her mouth as she thought about their incredible night together.

She knew he was there the moment he entered the room. That is why even when he moved without sound; she was not startled when he placed his hands upon her shoulders.

"Did it work?" he asked.

"It did," said Alex as she turned to face Lucifer. "They think I'm on their side now." It took every ounce of willpower she had to stare, what she hoped was lovingly, into Lucifer's eyes as she caressed his cheek. "You'll get your vessel soon enough. I promise you."

He leaned in to place a kiss upon her lips but stopped just short. Panic began to race through Alex's veins at the fear she had been caught in her lie. He sniffed her hair and made a face of disapproval.

"You smell like him."

She thought of an excuse quickly. "I had to be convincing didn't I?"

He chuckled slightly. "Couldn't you have at least showered before you left?"

Alex looked down at the ground. "I couldn't stand to be there one more second," she lied before raising her eyes to meet his in a seductive manner. "All I could think about was getting back to you." She placed her arms around his neck, and Lucifer smiled down at her.

"I'll let you get cleaned up. See you for dinner?"

"Wouldn't miss it."

She kept the smile on her face until the door closed behind him. Letting out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, Alex let all of the tension melt from her body. She suddenly felt dirty and started rubbing at her skin everywhere he had touched her. The feel of his hands on her skin had made her want to scream and jerk away. Sadly that would have defeated the purpose of her little deception. The only way this was going to work was if Lucifer believed she was still on his side. Going to his bed again was a thought that made her want to cry. _Forgive me, Sam_ she prayed, thinking about what she knew would be expected of her that night.

Another shudder ran through her body as she called out for the demon posted at her door.

"Yes your majesty?" he asked as he poked his head through the door.

"Bring me Crowley."

* * *

There seemed to be no end in sight to their argument. Dean was convinced that Alex was still in Lucifer's camp. Sam had done everything he could think of to convince him, but his brother was still set on saying yes to Michael as being their only option.

"You can't give up, son," said Bobby. He could see where Dean was coming from. He really could, but if there was even the slightest chance he was going to get his little girl back, he could not risk losing someone else he loved as his own in the process.

"You're not my father," Dean spat, venom evident in his tone. "And you ain't in my shoes."

 _That's it._ Bobby pulled a gun from his desk drawer and sat it in front of him. He then reached into his pocket and produced a single solitary bullet and placed it next to the gun.

"What's it that?" Dean asked.

"That's the round that I mean to put through my skull." The boys just stared at him in stunned silence. "Every morning, I look at it. I think, "Maybe today's the day I flip the lights out,' but I don't do it. I never do it. You know why? Because I promised you I wouldn't give up! I promised Alex that I would keep fighting, and I'll be damned if I let you throw in the towel while I'm still able to do something about it."

Dean looked at the floor in guilt. Bobby had a point. Until they had proof that there was no reason to keep fighting, he had to try. Sure he still had his reservations about Alex, but he would go along with it for now if it would keep those around him safe for the time being.

"So what do we do now?" Dean asked.

"I don't know," said Sam. "Alex said she was gunna find out where Pestilence was and let us know."

"So what you're saying is we are supposed to just sit here and twiddle our thumbs while she does recon?"

Sam just shrugged, but Bobby had another idea. "No. We keep working. I've been keeping an eye on things, and I think I may have an idea where the third Horseman is."

* * *

Crowley entered the room with trepidation. Being summoned by the Queen of Hell was not something to laugh at. As much as he wanted to run the other way, it was impossible. He, despite being the King of the Crossroads, was still a demon and had to obey any order she gave him. Apparently a summons was just as good as an order.

She was standing on the opposite side of the room with her arms crossed against her chest. A look of displeasure sat on her lovely face. "Leave us," she said to the two demons that had escorted him to the door. They bowed politely and left, closing the doors behind them.

"Your Majesty," Crowley began. He tried to keep the slight panic he felt out of his voice and remain charming as he continued. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I know it was you," she said in an icy tone.

He tried to look confused. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"You were the one that gave the Winchester's the Colt." He swallowed loudly.

"I assure you, my Lady. I never . . ."

"Stop lying to me!" she bellowed. "I know it was you."

He threw his hands up in the air. "Alright, you got me. Now what are you going to do with me?"

"Nothing."

"Excuse me?" Crowley asked, not sure if he had heard her correctly.

Alex uncrossed her arms. "I'm not going to do anything to you Crowley. I just wanted to make sure we were on the same team before I trusted you." He looked very confused. "I want Lucifer dead just as badly as you do, and I know a way to take him out."

Crowley was dumbfounded. The Queen of Hell wanted to take down the devil? Why on earth would she want to do that?

She answered him as if she could read his thoughts. "I never wanted any of this. I only said yes to save Sam's life. Now I want to take him out, but I need your help to do it."

"What's in it for me?" Crowley wasn't stupid. He knew that helping her didn't guarantee his survival. If this little witch really could take down Lucifer, snapping her fingers and ending his existence was the least of his worries. "What can you offer me?"

"Forgiveness," Alex said. "When this is all over, I forgive you of every transgression and walk away. Hell can be yours for the taking. I'll even forget about the part where you refer to me as 'the Bloody Red Queen.' All you have to do is deliver a message for me."

Crowley gave her a slight grin. "And what is this message you need me to deliver?"

* * *

The hospital had been a dead end. If Pestilence had been there, he had already gone. The doctors there were convinced it was just a nasty case of swine flu, but 70 cases in less than two days was a bit excessive. Sam and Dean were driving down a lonely stretch of highway in West Nevada going over their findings with Bobby via phone.

"Doesn't make any sense, Bobby," said Sam. "Pestilence touched down here. I'm sure of it."

"But why is he dealing them soft serve like swine flu when he's got the Croatoan virus up his sleeve? I don't get it."

"Doesn't matter what the sick son of a bitch is doing," said Bobby. "What matters is this is the fourth town he's hit, that we know of, and we're still eating his dust. Did you get anything? We got even a snowball at probable next target?"

Sam looked at the map in his lap where they had marked the various locations. "Uh, no patter we can see."

Bobby sighed on the other end of the line. "Okay, hold on. Well, far as I can tell he's still heading east. So, head East I guess."

"East?" the boys said in unison.

"Bobby," Dean spoke, "we're in West Nevada. East is practically all there is."

"Yeah, well, you better get to drivin'."

A voice from the back seat suddenly said, "Say. . . I've got an idea."

Dean slammed on the brakes. The tires screeched in protest as the Impala swerved on the road while Dean fought for control. The sudden appearance of the demon in the back seat caused every one of Sam's muscles to tighten. He pulled the demon killing knife from his boot and spun in his seat in an attempt to end Crowley's pathetic existence. However, all he found when he plunged the knife forward was the seat of the Impala. Crowley had vanished.

"Did you get him?" Dean asked as he brought the Impala to a stop.

"He's gone."

Dean slammed his hand on the steering wheel.

"Fancy a fag and a chat?" Crowley said as he magically appeared at Dean's window. "You're upset. We should discuss it. Not here, but…"

The boys exited the Impala, rage clear on both of their faces. Sam was the first to speak as he continued to move towards the demon. "You want to talk? After what you did to us?"

"After what I… what I did to you?! I gave you the Colt!"

"Yeah, and you knew it wouldn't work against the devil."

Crowley was honestly insulted by the insinuation. "I never!"

"You set us up. We lost people on that suicide run . . . good people!"

"Who you take on the ride is your own business! Look, everything is still the same. W-we're all still in this together. You, me, and Queeny."

Sam stopped short. "What did you say?"

"The Queen sent me. She has a message for you?"

"And why the hell should be believe you?" Dean asked.

Crowley fought to keep his calm. "Look . . . I swear. . . I thought the Colt would work. It's an honest mistake. It's all part of the learning process. But nothing's changed. I still want the devil dead. Well . . . one thing's changed. The Queen is on our side." He paused to think for a second. "Actually make that two. Now the devil knows that I want him dead. Which, by the way, makes me the most buggered son in all of creation."

"Holy crap. We don't care," said Dean. There was nothing in Crowley's little tirade that had him even remotely convinced that Alex was the reason he was here. For all he knew, this was some sort of a trap that was going to get Crowley off the hook and them on to it.

"They burnt down my house!" yelled the demon as he recounted what had happened when he was brought to the queen. "They ate my tailor. Every demon on Hell and earth's got his eyes out for me! And yet . . . here I am... last place I should be. . . In the road, talking to Sam and Dean Winchester, under a friggin' spotlight!" He made a pistol out of his fingers and pointed at the light. It exploded with his mock gesture of firing. "Why the blood hell would I do that if the Queen hadn't sent me?"

As much as they didn't want to admit it, Crowley had a point. Standing in the open was not in his best interest at the moment, and if they knew anything about him, it was that he was always looking out for numero uno.

"Alright," said Dean. "What's the message?"

Crowley smiled. "I'm going to show you where Pestilence is."

* * *

Serenity Valley Convalescent Home. That was where Crowley had brought them just before he vanished. He had assured them however that Pestilence was inside. Exactly where he was in the building and his overall master plan continued to be a mystery, but the boys were sure they could come up with something. Actually, they had no real choice in the matter.

Dean stuck his head into the security office. "Hey, hi. Uh. I'm looking for my Nana. Uh, her name is Eunice Kennedy."

The guard looked up from his monitors in utter boredom. "Go around front and see the nurse."

"You mind just helping me out, sir?" Dean asked as he continued to move forward. "Uh, she's about, uh, about that small and gray hair, wears diapers." The second he was within reach of the guard, Dean swung, punching the man in the face. The guard promptly fell over unconscious.

Sam came into the room behind his brother. "Eunice Kennedy?"

"That's the beauty about improve, Sammy," said Dean. "You never know what's gunna come out of your mouth."

They had been watching the monitors for quite some time when Sam noticed Dean was beginning to drift off. He punched is brother in the arm to rouse him. "Hey. What are we even looking for?"

"Well," Dean said as he wiped the sleep from his eyes, "he's Pestilence, so he probably looks sick."

Sam rolled his eyes. Did Dean honestly not realize how stupid that sounded? They were in an old folks home for crying out loud. "Everybody looks sick." He looked back down at the monitors and saw a distortion in one of them as a man entered the hallway. "Hey." He motioned for his brother to take a look.

Dean peered at the monitor for a moment before a little smile appeared on his face. "Oh, now we're talking."

It was eerily silent in the hallway as they made their way through the building. Both had their weapons at the ready. Rounding the corner, they found a doctor and nurse dead on the floor. Green vomit could be found all around their bodies. As they got closer, Sam suddenly found himself in a terrible coughing fit. When he pulled his hand away from his mouth, he could she blood spattered across it.

"Ugh," he drew in a strangled breath. "Must be getting close."

"You think?" Dean asked moments before his legs gave out beneath him and he sank to the floor.

"Dean?" Sam tried to help his brother to his feet, but he stumbled and the both found themselves on the floor as a shadow loomed over them.

"Humm. You boys don't look well." They looked up into the face of Pestilence. He smiled at them before describing the lovely little concoction swirling in their veins. "It might be the, uh, Scarlet fever. Or, ugh, the meningitis. Oh! Or the syphilis. That's no fun. However you feel right now? It's gunna get so very, very much worse. Questions?" He crouched down next to them and gave them a moment to answer. They gave none, so he moved to stand. "Disease gets a bad rap, don't you think? For being filthy, chaotic, uh, but really, t-that just describes people who get sick. Disease itself . . . very . . . pure . . . single-minded. Bacteria have one purpose - divide and conquer. That's why, in the end. . it always wins. So you've got to wonder why God pours all his love into something so messy . . . and weak. It's ridiculous. All I can do is show him he's wrong, one epidemic at a time. Now . . . on a scale of 1 to 10, how's your pain?"

The doors to their side suddenly flew open as Alex strode into the room. "The only person's pain you should be concerned about is your own," she said before using her power to throw him against the wall. The boys watched in awe as she grabbed the knife Sam had dropped and began to stride towards the horseman. They had never seen anyone do that to a demon before. It was amazing.

"Your majesty," he began, "I. . .

"Save it for someone who actually cares," she spat before removing his ring and pinky fingers from his hand.

Sam and Dean instantly began to feel better as strength returned to their bodies. They came to stand next to Alex as she knelt to pick up the third of the four rings. Pestilence began to cackle manically. "It doesn't matter. It's too late."

Alex fixed him with a cold hard stare. "Not as long as I'm around it's not." Pestilence vanished into thin air. She turned to the boys. "You guys okay?"

"Yeah," Sam said as he moved to embrace her. "How. . . uh how did you do that?"

Alex shrugged, "Comes with the territory."

"Your timing sucks," Dean said. "Where the hell were you?"

Alex pulled back from Sam to get a better look at the elder Winchester. "I was convincing Lucifer that I was still on his side." Dean scoffed. "Really, Dean? I march in here, save your ass and this is the thanks I get?" She ran her hands through her hair in frustration in much the same manner that Sam usually did. The gesture was not lost on the brothers. Sam smiled. "You know what? Never mind. Let's get out of here."

* * *

A small fire was going in the fireplace as the four hunters stood around Bobby's desk staring at the three rings. "Well," said Bobby, "it's nice to actually score a home run for once, ain't it?" The boys just looked at him. "What?"

Sam was the one to speak. "Last thing Pestilence said. 'It's too late.'"

"He get specific?"

"No."

"He doesn't have to," Alex said. "You know that new swine flu vaccine that's coming out?"

"The one everyone's been asking for?" Dean said.

Alex nodded. "That's the one. It's not really for swine flu. It's chocked full up grade A Croatoan virus."

A silence fell over the room as what Alex said began to sink in. The entire world was about to turn into Zombieland if they didn't act fast. Dean, of course, was none too happy about this latest revelation.

"And when were you planning on telling us this?" he demanded of Alex.

"I just did."

"Yeah, but how long have you known about it huh?" Alex crossed her arms and stared Dean down. "That's what I thought."

"Look," she began, "there was no point going over any of this until Pestilence was out of the picture okay? As long as he was around there wasn't gunna be a damn thing we could do to stop it. Now that he's gone, you guys can raid the warehouse before it ships out."

"And where will you be?" Dean asked.

"I'm going after Death" was her matter of fact reply. "He's about to unleash the storm of the millennium on Chicago. It'll start a chain reaction that's going to kill millions of people, unless I can convince him otherwise."

A pit formed in the bottom of Sam's stomach as he thought about Alex going after Death alone. Sure she was strong, but this was Death they were talking about. "How are you going to do that?"

"I have something he wants," she said. Alex began pacing back and forth across the room as she recounted the little spell Satan had her cast on the last of the horseman. It bound him to the devil's will. It was quite similar to the one Lucifer had used on her actually, only much stronger. "The person who cast the spell is the only one who can uncast it. I'll go to Chicago and offer to take it off of him in exchange for borrowing his ring for a few days."

"You put a spell on Death?" asked Dean. Alex nodded. "Damn."

She chuckled. "One of the perks of being the Mayfair," she joked. "Crazy superpowers."

Bobby, who had been silent thus far, spoke up. "So say we're actually able to pull this thing off. What then? How do we get the devil back in the cage? We just gunna lead him to the edge and he'll hop right in? Doesn't seem very likely."

Alex began to open her mouth to speak but was cut off by Sam. "I've been thinking about that. What if we lead Lucifer to the edge and then I jump in?"

"No!" The panic was clear in Alex's voice as she ran over to Sam and placed her hands on his arms. "No, Sam you can't. I'm damned no matter what. I'll do it."

Now it was Sam's turn to yell his objection. Soon, everyone was shouting their displeasure. The noise rose to a defining level. Alex eventually stopped talking and watched the three men yell at one another. Her blood began to boil as they continued to get louder. The flames in the fireplace burst forth with her anger as she screamed for them to be silent. The men jumped back in surprise before turning to the woman in red glaring at them.

"Dad, Dean, go load up the car. I'm going to talk to Sam alone for a minute." They thought of protesting for a moment, but the look of utter determination of her face told them there would be no arguing with her about it. Alex let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding once they left the room. Her shoulders slumped with the levity of the situation. Looking up at Sam, she let her emotions shine through.

There were tears in her eyes as she looked at him. Everything she had done was about to be for not. She damned herself to Hell and was double-crossing the Devil to save him, and he just wanted to throw it all away. How was she even supposed to begin explaining all of this to him?

"Alex, I…"

She held up a hand. "Sam, please. Just give me a minute okay?" He nodded. She let out a slow breath to center herself before looking him dead in the eye as she began to speak. "I know you, Sam. I know you think this is the only way. I also know how quick you are to sacrifice yourself for others." She gave him a slight grin that he could not help returning. "I also know that I could never live with myself if I let you." Crossing over to him, she placed her hand on the side of his face and caressed his cheek. "I'm already fucked," she said. "There is no need for us both to go down with the ship."

"What do you mean?" Sam asked, his brow creased in confusion.

"Lucifer got my soul the second I said yes. No matter what I do, I've got a one way ticket straight down. I at least want to get to pick out the hand basket I ride in."

Sam pulled her against his chest, enveloping her in his strong arms. They clung to each other in silence. Neither knew what to say. Perhaps there was nothing they could. The gravity of all she had done for him weighted heavily on Sam's heart. There was a sense of absoluteness in Sam's voice as he spoke. "I'll get you out of it." Alex pulled back quickly to stare at him wide-eyed. "After you drag his ass back down there, I'll find a way to get you out."

"No," Alex shook her head as she spoke. "I'm not gunna let you do that Sam. At the very least it would cost you your soul. Maybe Dean's too. I don't know, but I know the price would be way too high. I'm not going to live with that on my conscience."

"Then what are we gunna do?"

"With any luck, we'll catch him off-guard. I can unlock the cage and grab him as I jump in."

"What if we don't catch him off-guard? What then?"

"I don't know. I guess we'll fight."

Sam held her at arm's length. "Alex, look at me." She did as he asked. "If we have to fight him, you know as well as I do that I'm the one with the best chance of taking him on. I hope it doesn't come to this. I really do, but if we have to fight I want you to give me a shot at him."

Alex looked at him with a tear in her eye and simply nodded.

* * *

They had all gone their separate ways not long after Sam and Alex had their little heart to heart. A tenuous truce had been reached, but nobody was really happy with the outcome. There had been little time to argue however. The Niveus Pharmaceuticals warehouse was at least a days drive and Croatoan was due to ship out in two days. If they were going to stop it, they had to leave right then.

Bobby's van was the only vehicle large enough to house the three male hunters. That's what they sat in as Bobby watched the warehouse through binoculars.

"Yep," said Bobby, "they're loading up hotshots of Croatoan in the trucks. Okay. First truck doesn't leave for an hour. We get in. We plant the c-4 every 25 feet, then we pull the fire alarm."

Dean continued to watch the warehouse's activity while Bobby was talking. He was the only one that noticed one of the trucks starting up. He reached for the door handle and started to bail out of the car.

"Dean what are you doing?" Sam asked.

"One of the trucks is leaving!"

The others looked at the truck, eyes growing wide.

"Balls!"

They raced for the warehouse, weapons at the ready. Any hope they had of using the element of surprise was gone. There was no way of knowing how many demons were waiting for them inside, or if there were any humans left alive. Only one thing was for sure, every demon on the block knew that the Winchester's were coming to get them. And they were ready to fight.

Busting through the side door, a slew of Croatoan infected people came charging towards them. Dean quickly opened fire. The others followed suit. They could hear a woman calling for help on the far side of the warehouse. Sam quickly moved to help her while yelling to the others to stay there.

After killing the infected attacking her, Sam made sure the woman was alright before dragging her back to the side door and telling her to run.

The infected just kept coming. For a moment it seemed like it would never end, and then suddenly they found themselves alone. Dean gave a silent signal for them to split up and search the warehouse. They all made their way through the building until they met back up on the other side.

"All clear," said Sam.

"Yeah same over hear."

Bobby asked, "Can we commit our act of domestic terrorism already? Let's go."

* * *

Rain was starting to fall steadily as Alex stood in the middle of a busy Chicago street. People rushed past her under their umbrellas, oblivious to the fact that none of the rain drops where hitting her despite the fact she was out in the open. The pizzeria across the street seemed very simple, but if people knew what was inside they would not even be walking on that side of the street.

Alex crossed the street and peered through the windows. A talk slender elderly gentleman sat alone in the middle of the room. There was not even any wait staff to be seen inside the building. Her heart began to pound in her chest as Death's power began to wash over her.

"Come in Alexandra," he said without even looking up at her. Him sensing her presence should not have been surprising to her, but she still found herself sucking in quick breath in surprise. Closing her eyes for a second, Alex took a deep breath before opening the door.

Her heels clicked on the linoleum floor as she squared her shoulders and strode towards him with what she hoped looked like confidence, stopping just shy of the table.

"Why are you here, Alexandra?"

"I wanted to talk to you," she said as she pulled out the chair and took a seat. Death paused in enjoying his meal and leveled her with his icy stare. Alex's blood ran cold when their eyes met, and she hoped that the color did not drain from her face.

"And what could the Queen of Hell have to talk to me about?"

"I want to make you a deal." He inclined his head ever so slightly towards her as he raised an eyebrow. "We both have something the other wants." She glanced down at the ring on his hand.

"And why would I want to help you after all that you have done?"

"Because you're not the only one who had their freewill taken from them." She pulled the necklace from around her neck and held it out to him. The second his hand touched it, the spell around it dissipated and he could see the shattered charm for what it was.

"I see." He took off his ring and held it in front of Alex. "I assume you are going to offer to remove this unseemly little spell in exchanged for this."

"That was my intention."

Death regarded her for a second. Sensing no malice or hidden agenda from her he spoke, "I'm inclined to give it to you."

"And Chicago?"

"Chicago?" Death parroted. "I suppose it can stay. I like the pizza. There are conditions."

"Like?"

"You have to do whatever it takes to put Lucifer in his cell."

Alex tried not to be offended by his implications. "Of course."

"Whatever it takes."

"Is that not what I just agreed to?" the impatience clear in Alex's voice

"That is what you said, yes. However, I'm not sure you grasp my meaning. Your lover. He's the only one that can stop Lucifer." He paused to study Alex's expression. The look of uncertainty was slight, but still there. "The only one. Sacrificing yourself won't be enough to stop him. Sam will have to follow too. I know how attached you are to him. So, I need a promise. You're going to let Sam Winchester jump right into that fiery pit with or without you." Alex stared unblinkingly at him. "Well, do I have your word?"

Death's words rang true in her ears. Every single one of her fears had just been verbalized. A single tear slid down her cheek as she spoke. "You have my word."

* * *

The men sat around the study in Bobby's house drinking beer and waiting for Alex's return. Sam stared down into his nearly empty bottle as he tried to control his terror. Just the thought of Alex trying to make a deal with death set his every nerve on edge. It was not like she was going to be giving one of her demon lackies an order they couldn't refuse. She was literally walking into the lion's den with no promise of walking back out.

Dean saw his brother's distracted state and spoke up. "Sammy." Sam looked up at him, startled. "You okay?"

"Yeah, uh . . . just thinking."

"Well, be careful," a voice said from the doorway. Everyone's eyes immediately flew to the door to see who their new guest was. Sam was on his feet the

second his eyes landed on Alex's. "We don't want you to hurt yourself." It took only two strides of his long legs for Sam to reach her and envelope Alex in a tight embrace that Alex gratefully returned.

"Did you get it?" Bobby asked.

Alex pulled her hand from behind her back and showed them the ring. "Yeah, I got it."

* * *

Dean and Bobby were loading up the cars while Sam and Alex spent a few precious moments together. The fact that this would be the last time they were ever together hung over their heads like a dark ominous cloud. Neither said a word, they were too lost in their own thoughts to speak. One way or the other, they were both not going to come out of this alive.

Alex had filled them in on everything. It was agreed that she would try to pull Lucifer into the pit with her. Sam would drink his fill of demon blood and meet her in Detroit as backup. He was only to say yes to Lucifer as a last resort, but deep down they both knew he was going to do it anyway to try and save Alex.

They could hear the trunk of the Impala being slammed shut outside and Sam pulled her tighter to his side. Alex clung to him as if her life depended on it and fought back the tears of anguish that threatened to escape her eyes.

Bobby appeared in the doorway. "It's time." The two lovers looked at him. Alex pulled away slightly and nodded her head. It broke Bobby's heart to see his little girl so torn up over this. She was going to willingly give her life to save the planet. He couldn't be prouder of her, but he also couldn't help but wish she wouldn't do it. He watched as she turned to look Sam in the eye and decided to give them some privacy.

"So I guess this is it," said Alex. "Time to save the world."

Sam tucked a loose curl behind her ear. "Yeah, I guess so."

There was silence between them as they gazed into each other's eyes. Their lips began to gravitate towards each other like magnets. It was a tender kiss. There was no hurried embrace or burning passion, only love and adoration. All too quickly the kiss ended and Alex pulled away.

"I love you, Sam."

"I love you too."

He watched as Alex stood up and straightened her dress before going into the next room to give Bobby a hug and kiss on the cheek. Dean was the next person on her list to get a good-bye. The hunter pulled her into a tight brotherly hug and spoke softly into her ear.

"You take care of yourself."

She nodded against his shoulder before speaking softly so that only he could hear. "Take care of Sam for me."

"I will," he responded in an equally quite tone.

Alex pulled back and took one final look around at the three most important men in her life. Her eyes locked with Sam's a final time before she snapped her fingers and vanished from their sight.

Nobody moved for a few minutes after she left. They just stared at the spot she had recently vacated. "Alright," said Bobby as he sniffed and wiped a tear from his eye. "Let's go kill the devil."


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one more after this guys!

Sam sat on the hood of the Impala recounting his final moments with Alex. He did his best to remember every detail as clearly as possible. Her smile, the taste of her lips, it was all something he wanted to take to the pit with him. As much as Alex was committed to taking Lucifer down herself, Sam was just as committed to making sure that didn't happen. She may be convinced that she's damned no matter what, but if he had control of Lucifer, he was certain that he could set her free.

The hood dipped slightly as Dean came to sit down next to his brother. "Hey," Sam said. Dean just handed him a beer from the cooler as he leaned against his precious car. "Dean? What's going on?"

"I'm in."

"In with . . .?"

"The whole 'up with Satan' thing. I'm on board."

Sam could hardly believe his ears. They had spent nearly another hour arguing about the plan after Alex left. Dean was not a big fan of losing his best friend to the pit, but as much as he hated that thought, the thought of losing his little brother bothered him even more.

"You're gunna let me say yes?" Sam asked in astonishment.

"No. That's the thing. It's not on me to let you do anything. You're a grown – well, overgrown – man. If this is what you want, I'll back your play."

"That's the last thing I thought you'd ever say."

Dean looked at the bottle in his hands before taking a long slow gulp of the amber liquid. "Might be. I'm not gunna lie to you, though. It goes against every fiber I got. I mean, truth is. . . You know, watching out for you . . . it's kinda been my job, you know? And then when Alex came along, I started looking out for her too. But more than that, it's . . . it's kinda who I am. Y'all aren't kids, Sam, and I can't keep treating you like you are. I don't know if we got a snowball's chance, but . . . but I do know that if anybody can do it . . . it's you guys."

Finally looking at his brother, Dean let out a huff of a breath. It had been hard for him to say the things he had. Bobby had sat him down and had a long talk with him. It had forced him to confront a few things, a lot of things actually. One of his biggest fears in life was not being able to protect the ones he cared about. This thing, the whole Apocalypse, had forced him to come to grips with the fact that there really was nothing else he could do. All he could do was be there for them as best he could.

"Thank you," Sam said.

"If this is what you want. . . Is this really what you want?"

Sam chuckled. "What I want? What I want is for both me and Alex to walk away from this and go on to live a normal life. I want to marry her, have the 2.5 kids, a dog, and a house with a little picket fence. But none of that really matters anymore, Dean. I let him out. I got to put him back in."

Dean nodded. "Okay. That's it, then."

With that the brothers had reached an understanding. While neither of them was too keen on the idea, they were both willing to do whatever it took to make sure that Lucifer never saw another sunrise.

* * *

Alex plastered the best seductive smile she could muster onto her face and sauntered into the room. She nodded at the two demons guarding the door as she entered. They bowed respectfully. This was the hardest part for her, pretending to be devoted to Lucifer when in all honesty she wanted to steel his angel blade and bury it in his sternum. "Lucy, I'm home."

"I really wish you wouldn't do that." Lucifer turned from the window to face her. His face was covered in sores. Her eyes widened at the site. "What? Don't like what you see anymore?"

Alex shook her head. "No, no." She strode towards Lucifer and placed a hand on either side of his face as she did her best not to show how grossed out she was by the sticky texture. "I just hate to see you suffering like this." Not sure she was selling it; she went up on her toes and planted a gentle kiss on his lips. "But don't worry. You'll have your vessel soon enough. In fact," she smiled, "a special delivery should be her in the next day or so."

They shared sadistic little smiles before Lucifer pulled her to his side and commenced looking out the window.

* * *

Sam stared down at the gallon jugs in the trunk. Alex had warned him about the amount of blood he would have to drink, but he wasn't prepared for this. Apparently Lucifer's vessel had been draining a demon a day to stay strong enough to hold the archangel in. That meant Sam was going to have to drink as much as he could stomach if he was going to be able to best the devil.

Taking a deep breath, Sam calmed himself and popped the lid on the first jug before bringing it to his lips.

Dean couldn't watch. He and Bobby were about ten yards away with their backs turned. They needed to be far enough away that Dean wouldn't hear Sammy drinking his "go juice." Bobby noticed the sickened look on Dean's face.

"You okay?"

"Not really. How far out are we?"

Bobby looked down at the map. "We're about 10 miles from the outskirts of Detroit. Any idea where Lucifer is hiding out?"

"Not really. You?"

"Well, temp's dropped about 20 degrees, but only in a five-block radius of downtown Motown."

Dean nodded. "That's the one."

"What do you got?" Sam asked as he walked up behind them. Dean did a double take when he saw the smear of red on his brother's lips. It was impossible for the younger Winchester not to notice Dean looking at his mouth. He wiped the back of his hand across his lips. He paled when he saw the blood on his hand. "Oh, sorry."

"Don't mention it," Dean said. Sam merely nodded. "No, seriously. Don't mention it."

* * *

Bobby looked through his binoculars and spotted a man standing at a window. He wasn't sure they were in the right place until he saw Alex move up next to him. "Yeah that's him," he said before lowering the binoculars.

"Is Alex with him?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, she's up there."

Dean just moved to the trunk of the Impala to retrieve his weapon of choice while Sam gave Bobby a sad resolute look.

"I'll see ya around, kid," Bobby said.

"See ya around."

Giving into the moment, Bobby pulled the taller hunter into a tight manly hug. "He gets in. . ." began Bobby, "you fight him tooth and nail. You understand? Keep swingin'. Don't give an inch."

"Yes, sir." Bobby and Dean just nod at each other. "Okay. Let's go."

* * *

Fighting could be heard outside in the hallway. Lucifer gave Alexandra a small smile.

"Didn't I promise you they'd be here?" she said. Alex took a small breath to calm herself as she tried not to show the nerves she felt as the demons brought Sam and Dean into the room. Her eyes locked with Sam's for a moment. The slightest of nods passed between them.

"Hey guys," Lucifer said as he kept facing out the window. "So nice of you to drop in." He breathed on the window, causing frost to appear. Very calmly, he reached up and drew a pitchfork in the condensation with his index finger. "Sorry if it's a bit chilly. Most people think I burn hot. It's actually quite the opposite."

"Well, I'll alert the media," said Dean.

Lucifer turned to face the boys. "Help me understand something, guys. I mean, stomping through the front door is . . . a tad suicidal, don't you think?"

"We're not her to fight you," Sam said.

"Oh that's right," Lucifer replied as he waggled his finger in the air. "You have the key to my cage and plan to lock me back in." The boys' eyes grew wide. "Well to be more exact, you have the key." He turned to face Alex. "Don't you Alexandra?" Her face became ashen as she looked at the devil. "Oh come now. Did you really think I had no idea what was going on? You did? Well, sorry to disappoint you sweetheart, but daddy's got other plans." Lucifer suddenly lashed out and flung Alex across the room. He began to move menacingly towards her until Sam's voice stopped him.

"I want to say 'yes'."

Lucifer paused and turned back towards the boys. "Excuse me?"

Sam took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Two demons suddenly dropped dead as lights flashed in their eyes.

"Chock-full of Ovaltine, are we?"

"You heard me." Sam's voice was low, nearly a growl. "Yes."

"You're serious." Lucifer was pleasantly surprised. He knew that his precious little Mayfair was playing him and intended to throw him back into Hell, but never in his wildest dreams did he think he'd get a vessel out of it as well. Sam would say yes to him eventually. That he knew. He just didn't think it would be like this.

"Look," said Sam, "Judgment Day's a runaway train. We get it now. We just want off."

"Meaning?"

"Deal of the century. I give you a free ride, but when it's all over, I live." He pointed to his brother. "He lives. Alex lives. You bring our parents back. . ."

"Okay, can we please drop the telenovela? Let's get straight to the point shall we? A wrestling match inside your noggin. . . I like the idea. Just you and me, one round, no tricks. You win, you jump in the hole. I win. . . Well, then I win. What do you say, Sam? A fiddle of gold against your soul says I'm better than you."

Sam looked over to Alex as she used the wall to pull herself back to her feet. He could see the terror in her eyes and the subtle shake of her head.

"Sam," she said quietly.

"We don't have any other choice."

"No." She tried to plead with him, but his mind was made up.

"Yes."

A self-satisfied smile formed on Lucifer's face as he closed his eyes. Spreading his arms wide, he leaned his head back. Blazing white lite filled the room. Dean and Alex shielded their eyes against the startling brightness. The light suddenly dissipated as quickly as it had come, and when it cleared they could see Sam lying motionless on the floor.

Dean was the first to reach his brother. Seeing that he was breathing, he relaxed slightly before raising his eyes to the female hunter scrambling towards them. "Alex, do it now." She nodded. The rings magically appeared in her hand. Alex threw them to the wall where they stuck while she began to chant.

"Bvtom. . . Tagges. . .Babalon."

The wall began to crackle and disappear as if it was being sucked into a giant vacuum. Sam stirred.

"Sammy!" Dean yelled.

"Dean!"

"Sam!" Alex ran back to his side and helped him to stand.

He began to groan. "I can feel him. Oh, god!"

"Sam?" Alex tried to look into his eyes, but he kept shutting them tight or looking around the room. "We've got to go now! Come on!" With Dean's help, she got Sam to the mouth of the cave. She took his hand and began to move into the opening, but she stopped when he didn't follow. "Sam? We have to go now!" She looked back into his face, her blood running cold. A small smile formed on his face as he slowly looked over to her. "No," she whispered.

Dean looked from her face to his brother's back in confusion as the man turned to face him. "I was just messing with you," he said in a calm clear voice. "Sammy's long gone." He turned back to the hole. "Chdr bctmon tabges babalon." The hole closed. Taking the rings into his hand, he looked down at Alex. "You should have known better than to try and trick me," he said before he suddenly vanished.

Alex leaned back against the wall as her legs began to give out underneath her. Not only had she failed, but the love of her life was now controlled by the devil himself. She looked to Dean as she began to slide to the floor. He was looking around the room. As he turned, he placed his hands on his head. There were tears in his eyes as he looked down at Alex's devastated form. As Dean fought to keep his tears at bay, Alex let her own flow freely down her face as despair overcame her.

* * *

Finally being in his true vessel made Lucifer nearly giddy as he walked through the loose circle of demons. The only thing that was keeping him from being truly relaxed was Sam continuing to twitch away deep down inside of him.

"Sam. Come on," he said. "I can feel you . . . scratching away in there." He noticed a broken mirror on the wall and began to walk towards it. "Look. . . I'll take the gag off, okay? You got me all wrong, kiddo. I'm not the bad guy here."

As he looked into the mirror, the reflection began to move of its own accord. Sam Winchester was able to see Lucifer wearing his skin, causing his anger at the master of Hell to rise even higher. "I'm gunna rip you apart from the inside out. Do you understand me?" he bellowed.

They began to converse back and forth through the mirror. Every time Sam would say something, Lucifer had the perfect counter. One of the things that happen when an angel takes over a vessel is that the angel can see every thought that is running through the person's head. That made it easy for Lucifer to keep Sam in check. Yes, even if that were not the case he would still have been one step ahead. Being a master manipulator came in quite handy when you were ruling over a legion of demons.

"I'm inside your grapefruit, Sam. You can't lie to me. I see it all – how odd you always felt, how . . . out of place in that . . . family of your. And why shouldn't you have? They were foster care at best. I'm your real family."

"No, that's not true."

"It is. And I know you know it. All those times you ran away, you weren't running from them. You were running towards me, even when you chose to be with Alexandra."

"You leave her out of this!" Sam bellowed.

Lucifer continued as if the young hunter had never even spoken. "This doesn't have to be a bad thing, you know. I let Dean live, didn't I? I'll bring your folks back, too. I want you to be happy, Sam. Why, even your precious little girlfriend is out there just waiting for our call. You did know that she can't refuse a direct order or a summons from me right?"

Sam's eyes grew wide. "What are you going to do to her?"

"Oh noting you haven't thought about doing to her a thousand times. Think of it as an early Christmas gift."

"I don't want anything from you."

The tone Lucifer used left no doubt in Sam's mind what he was referring to. He knew that she had been forced to service him in the past, but the knowledge of it and seeing it were two very different things. Just the thought had always made his stomach turn. This, this had him tasting bile at the back of his throat as Lucifer gave him a sadistic little smile.

* * *

The sound of footsteps coming down the alley put Bobby on high alert. He raised his sawed-off, ready to fire, until he saw Dean and Alex walking towards him. Both looked as if they wished they were dead instead of coming to meet him. There was only one conclusion he could make from the looks on their faces, but he hoped he was wrong.

"Sam?" he asked as they came to a stop in front of him.

Alex shook her head as she burst into tears. Dean reached out and pulled her into his side.

"Lucifer's got him."

Another half hour passed before the trio spoke.

"So what do we do now?" Dean asked.

"Just sit back and wait for the end, I guess," Bobby said. "There was never much hope to begin with. I don't know what to do."

"No," interjected Alex. She continued to look straight ahead as she spoke, voice so calm that no one would guess that her emotions were swirling raging inside of her. "We fight. Lucifer is going to battle Michael. If we're there when they throw down, we might still be able to stop all of this."

"Okay," Dean began, "well, where's that?"

"I don't know." She uncrossed her arms and stood up straighter as she turned to face the two men. "But I know who does."

* * *

Chuck sat at his desk typing away furiously as he wrote about the boys and their history. He talked about the Impala and how Dean had taken great pains to ensure that all of the little details that made it theirs remained intact.

"It never occurred to them that, sure, maybe they never really had a roof and four walls . . .," he read aloud as he edited his latest chapter, ". . . but they were never, in fact, homeless." Chuck leaned back in his chair. "That's a good line."

The sensation of being watched suddenly overcame him. He scanned the room with his eyes, expecting to find nothing and return to his work. When his eyes fell upon Alex standing less than 10 feet from him he jumped. "Ah! Alex. Uh, wow, I, uh, I didn't know you were coming." She raised an eyebrow at him. "No really I didn't. Uh, um, why are you here?"

"Sam said yes."

"I know," he said with a sigh. "I saw it. I'm just working on the pages."

She took a tentative step towards him. "Did you happen to see where the big fight takes place?"

Chuck paused for a moment. He thought about telling her the angels weren't talking, but the look of sheer desperation on her face tugged at his heart strings, and he took pity on the poor girl.

"It's tomorrow, high noon – place called Stull Cemetery."

"Why a cemetery?"

"I have no idea."

Alex's brows drew together as she thought about what Chuck had told her. "Can I use your computer?"

"Uh sure."

Chuck slid his chair back and gestured towards the computer. Alex thanked him before taking a seat. She quickly researched the location the prophet had just told her about. He had to admit that he was somewhat impressed by her determination and will. With his knowledge, he knew that this was torturing her. He had seen the look in her eyes the second she realized that it was in fact Lucifer and not Sam standing before the void. It was everything she could do to hold it together at that moment, and he was in awe of her for her ability to do so.

"Chuck?" she asked as she looked at the monitor in confusion.

"Yeah?"

"Stull Cemetery is an old graveyard just outside of Lawrence. Why would the fight happen there?"

"I don't know. It all has to end where it started, I guess."

She looked up at him hopefully. "You wouldn't happen to know of any way to stop all of this would you?"

"Besides the rings? No. I'm sorry."

She just nodded as she stood. "I need to go tell Dean and Bobby what's happening if we're gunna stop this." There was a slight catch in her voice. "I, uh, I don't know what we can do, but, uh, we'll come up with something." Alex did her best to hide the tear she wiped from her cheek, but Chuck saw it anyway.

"Alexandra," he called out to her. When she turned to look at him, she did not see the bumbling, nervous author she knew so well. What she saw was a man full of wisdom and confidence. She was so startled by what she was seeing that she didn't even notice he had moved until his hand came to rest upon her shoulder. A sudden peace filled her spirit as he spoke. "It's all going to be okay," he said. "Trust me." Unsure of why, Alex found herself nodding in agreement. "Good. Now go save your boyfriend." He gave her a little smile that she happily returned before stepping back and vanishing.

Chuck's smile grew as he continued looking at the space Alex had just vacated. _This is working out better than I ever imagined._

* * *

Dean and Bobby were well into their third beer when Alex popped up next to them. Bobby jumped. Dean nearly chocked on his beer.

"I know where the fight's going to be," she said. "Come on we don't have much time."

The boys quickly followed her as she moved towards the Impala. "Aren't you going to tell us where we're goin'?" Dean asked.

"Kansas." He stopped moving and just stared at her back. Alex heard the footsteps stop and turned to see what was going on. "Come on. I have a plan, but we don't have much time."

* * *

Lucifer strolled casually through the cemetery, enjoying the fall air. The sound of wings rustling reached his ears. When he turned around, Sam looked through his eyes and saw his half-brother Adam. Lucifer, oh the other hand, did not see a long lost Winchester standing before him.

"It's good to see you, Michael," he said.

The younger blonde man gave the smallest hint of a smile. "You too. It's been too long. Can you believe it's finally here?"

Sam began to panic. This couldn't be happening. Not only was he trapped inside his own body, but he was going to have to watch his long-lost brother try to kill him. Redoubling his efforts, he dug down deep inside himself and tried to find a way to gain control. Michael and Lucifer were talking, but Sam was paying them no mind. All he cared about was finding a way to get control back before they nuked half the planet trying to kill each other.

The angels began to circle one another. A car engine suddenly roared to life causing them to turn. The Impala crested the hill and began to drive towards them, Def Leppard blaring from the open windows. Dean brought the car to a stop a few yards from the angels and climbed out, Bobby right behind him. "Howdy, boys," he said. The two angels glared at him. "Sorry. Am I interrupting something?" Still no response. "Hey. We need to talk."

Michael turned to him. "You're no longer the vessel, Dean. You got no right to be here."

Seeing his half-brother being used by the angels hurt him, but nothing meant more to him at that moment than saving Sam from Lucifer. "Adam, if you're in there somewhere, I am so sorry."

"Adam isn't home right now."

"Well, then you're next on my list, buttercup. But right now, I need five minutes with him." Dean did his best to hold his bravado. _Come on Alex. Where are you?_

"You little maggot. You are no long a part of this story!" yelled Michael.

"Hey asshole!" The angel whirled around to see a very pissed off Mayfair staring him down. She was holding a bottle in her right hand, a rag sticking out of the tip. She stared defiantly at both Michael and Lucifer as she snapped her fingers and raised the no lit bottle.

"Alexandra," began Lucifer, "what are you doing?"

"Choosing a side." With that she hurled the bottle at Michael. The bottle hit him in the chest and burst. The oil inside covered the angel's body and engulfed him in flames. Michael screamed in agony before being completely consumed and destroyed by the fire.

A slow roll of anger ran down Lucifer's spine as he watched his older brother meet his demise. "Alexandra, did you just Molotov my brother with holy fire?"

She looked at him defiantly and shrugged. "Looks that way."

"No one dicks with Michael but me," he threatened.

"Sam," she began. "Sam, if you can hear me. You've got to keep fighting."

Lucifer continued as if nobody had said a word. "You're going to pay for that you bitch." He raised his hand towards her.

"Can't hurt me without killing me remember? Angel's grace and all that. Besides, do you really want to destroy half of your powerbase?"

He lowered his arm. Alex tried not to grin at her small victory and failed. The angel turned on a dime and directed his attention to Bobby, raising his hand and making a twisting motion. Bobby's head whipped to the side with an audible crack before he fell to the ground dead. Alex screamed in agony before racing to her father's side.

"You're right," Lucifer said. "I have other plans for you."

Dean's eyes widened as he watched Alex cradle Bobby's lifeless body in her arms. He could hear her crying. Gathering his courage, he decided to try one last time to reach his brother. "Sammy, can you hear me?"

The devil turned his attention to the oldest Winchester. "You know," he began. "I tried to be nice . . . for Sammy's sake. Alexandra's too." He began to slowly walk towards Dean. "But you . . . are such a pain . . . in my ass." Lucifer grabbed Dean by the collar and threw him down onto the hood of the Impala. The windshield shattered under his weight.

"Dean!" Alex yelled as she saw the last of her family come under attack. She charged Lucifer, grabbing his arm before he could punch Dean. "Sam?! Sam listen to me! You have to fight him!" The devil shook her off as if she was nothing more than a pesky fly.

Blow after blow rained down on Dean's face. He tried to crawl away, but Lucifer would have none of it. He grabbed his legs and drew him closer before continuing his assault. Each blow felt as if a jackhammer was hitting Dean's skull. He began to spit up blood as his vision swam. "Sammy?" he pleaded. "Are you in there?"

"Oh, he's in here, all right," said Lucifer as he slammed his fist into Dean's face yet again. He could feel Sam struggling inside of him, desperate to gain control as the devil continued to beat the life from his brother's body. "And he's gunna feel the snap of your bones. Every single one. We're gunna take our time. And then? Then I'm going to do things to his precious little Alex that he could never even dream of while he looks on."

The sound of flesh meeting flesh was slowly drowned out by the blood rushing in Alex's veins. Dean would not last much longer. His face was swollen. By the looks of it his jaw was broken in several places and one eye was already swelling shut, but he wouldn't give up.

"Sam, it's okay. It's okay. I'm here. I'm here. I'm not gunna leave you. I'm not gunna leave you," he said over and over.

Alex fought back the tears that were stinging her eyes as she watched the love of her life slowly murder her best friend. _It's all over_ , she thought. _Sam's gone._ All hope began to drain from her spirit as she saw Lucifer draw back his fist to deliver one final blow. Suddenly, Chuck's words came back to her. _It's all going to be okay._ Peace filled her. As if by some divine intervention, she heard what sounded strangely like Chuck's voice speaking only to her. _Go to him Alex. Trust me._

It was as if everything was moving in slow motion as she walked to the Impala. Lucifer started to move Sam's fist forward, but he stopped short when Alex placed her hand gently on his wrist. "Sam," she said, "I love you and I always will. No matter what."

Her words reached deep down inside of Sam's soul, giving him strength. He had watched helplessly through his own eyes as Lucifer used his own limbs to beat his brother to death with no way to stop it. Now, as he looked into his lover's eyes, he could feel his strength growing. He took hold of Lucifer inside of him and pulled the devil as far back as possible. He tried to unclench his fist and found he had full control of his body again.

Looking into Alex's eyes, he slowly lowered his arm and let go of Dean. Alex could see him and only him in his eyes once more and smiled. "It's okay, Dean," said Sam as he turned to his brother. "It's gunna be okay. I've got him."

As Sam reached into his pocket to retrieve the Horsemen's rings, Alex knelt down next to Dean and reached a hand towards his forehead. He flinched away from her touch in anticipation of the pain, but the movement caused him to groan. "It's okay, Dean. I'm going to help." With the lightest of touches, Alex placed her hand on top of Dean's head and closed her eyes. Warmth and what Dean could only describe as light begin to fill his body. He could feel the bones and tissue begin to knit themselves back together. Alex took her hand away and looked at a now healed Dean with a smile.

"Alex," she heard Sam call, "you have to do it now. I don't know how much longer I can hold him." Moving to his side, she began to chant the words that would open the door to Hell. The ground around the rings begins to disappear as the portal opened. Sam looked back at his brother, trying to reassure him as the hole began to widen.

The air around him began to be sucked into the hole that had opened. He took a deep shuddering breath to calm himself. "Get back, Alex."

"No."

He looked at her in confusion. "I'm not going to let you do this alone." He started to argue with her, but she placed a finger on his lips. "No buts. I love you, and I'm not going to let you go through this alone."

Alex's hand wrapped around the back of Sam's head. Tangling her fingers in his hair, she pulled him down for a loving kiss. A smile graced her lips when Sam's arms encircled her. With their arms holding each other tight and lips locked in a final kiss, Sam and Alex fell into the pit, dragging Lucifer with them.

Dean watched the two most important people in his life disappear into a black hole that closed the second they passed through it. The rings were once again just rings. The force that held them together vanished, and they became four separate entities once more. A hurricane raged inside Dean's chest. He tried to stand, but his legs wouldn't hold him. His vision was blurred by the tears he fought to contain before he closed his eyes and leaned back against the only thing he had left. The Impala.

* * *

Burning Bobby's body had been hard. Dean watched the flames and realized that for the first time in his life he was truly alone. He had cried out to Cas, but there was no answer. His family was gone. As the flames began to die down, Dean remembered a promise he had made.

He drove all night and found himself staring at a wooden door. He thought seriously about turning and running, but just before he could do so he realized that there was nowhere else he would rather have been at that moment. Raising his hand, he knocked three times before letting his arm fall back to his side. The door opened after only a few moments.

"Hey Lisa."

It took Lisa a moment to process what she was seeing. The man before her looked and sounded like the Dean Winchester she knew, but he was so broken. He usually exuded confidence and had a swagger that made him hard to resist. The man standing before her with his hands in his pockets was slumped in defeat. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah." Dean's voice broke as he tried to speak. Hoping she hadn't caught it, he gave her the best smile he could muster at the time. It wasn't much. "Uh, if it's not too late, I . . . think I'd like to take you up on that beer."

Lisa nodded her head in understanding. He had told her that something bad was about to happen. Now, based on the look in his eyes, it had been worse than he had imagined. Her heart filled with warmth as she looked at him. This man had literally been to Hell and back. He'd fought every monster she had ever heard of, and yet, he was still standing. As long as he was standing, she was never going to turn him away. "It's never too late."

With a sigh of relief, Dean allowed her to pull him into her outstretched arms. And it was there, with her arms shielding him against the world that the great Dean Winchester finally broke down and cried as she whispered to him. "It's going to be okay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment and leave kudos.


	42. Chapter 42

_Epilogue_

The beat up old Ford came to a screeching halt. Dean threw open the door and took off running for the ball field. He could only hope he wasn't too late. People were packed into the stands behind home plate. An air of panic began to overtake Dean when he couldn't pick Lisa out of the crowd. Suddenly, he could see her standing in the back of the group. "Dean!" she called as she waived her hand frantically.

"Excuse me. Sorry. Excuse me," Dean said as he pushed his way towards the woman waiting for him at the top of the bleachers. "Did I miss anything?"

"No," said Lisa as they took their seats. "You're just in time. Ben's about to bat."

Dean looked on as the young boy he loved like his own son took a few practice swings. He saw the young boy looking back at the crowd, his eyes scanning the faces for someone. A smile appeared on Dean's face. He placed his thumb and forefinger to his lips and let out a loud high whistle. "Alright! Let's go Ben!" Ben spotted him in the crowd and visibly relaxed. Dean gave him thumbs up and a reassuring smile as he stepped into the batter's box.

"Where were you?" Lisa asked as she cheered on her son.

"Sorry. I got held up. Something took a bit longer than I thought it would."

It had been nearly 6 months since Sam and Alex had taken the plunge. Dean had landed on Lisa's doorstep that night and had been with her and Ben ever since. They had become their own little family in a way. It wasn't easy. Dean still awoke a least once a week calling out for his brother, but Lisa was always there to wrap him in her loving arms and calm his fears. He still drank more often than she would have liked, but he never let it get out of hand. Dean had never imagined himself having a normal life, but as he looked at the woman next to him, he could no longer see himself doing anything else.

Lisa caught Dean watching her out of the corner of her eye. "What?" she asked.

"You're amazing. You know that?"

She shook her head at him and chuckled. Dean never talked like that. "What's gotten into you?"

"Nothing." Dean turned his attention back to the game just in time to see Ben hit the ball. He jumped to his feet and began to cheer. Lisa followed close behind. She beamed with pride when Ben stood proudly on first base, the conversation forgotten for the moment. Dean just looked at her out of the corner of his eye. A small little half smile formed on his lips as he reached into his pocket and felt the little black box hidden inside.

* * *

"Did you see the look on that kids face when Ben beat him to the plate?" Dean asked as he sat the pizza box on the table.

"Yeah," Ben said excitedly, "he looked like he was gunna shi…"

"Benjamin!" Lisa bellowed. "Don't even think about finishing that sentence."

"Sorry, Mom." He glanced over at Dean and the two shared a mischievous smile. Ben knew that Dean agreed with him, even if he wouldn't say anything in front of his mother.

They ate in a comfortable silence; each had a smile on their faces. Dean kept checking his pocket to assure himself that the little box was still there. As he cleared the table, he got the sudden feeling that someone was watching him. He looked all around the room only to find it empty. Lisa and Ben were upstairs getting ready for bed, so Dean decided to check the house. Confident everything was safe; he looked out the window one last time before closing the curtains, never noticing the couple watching him from across the street.

* * *

The street light flickered and went out as the young couple watched Dean from across the way. They had their arms around each other. The woman was leaning into the man and smiling. "He looks happy," she said.

"Yeah he does," the young man replied.

"Do you think he'll be okay?"

An all too familiar voice spoke from behind them. "I'll make sure of it."

The couple turned. "Castiel?"

"Hello Sam, Alex," he said with a nod.

"It's good to see you again," Alex said with a smile.

Sam chuckled. "It's good to see anyone again." He turned back towards the house. "Is Dean gunna be okay?"

"He will adjust in time."

"So, what happens now?" asked Alex.

"Now," Cas paused, "you go home."

In the blink of an eye, their surroundings began to change. Dean's house and the street light they were standing under slowly melted away to reveal the inside of what appeared to be a rustic cabin with hardwood floors. Sam and Alex stood in awe as they took in their surroundings. They appeared to be standing in the living room. There was a small kitchen and dining area off to one side. Alex began to walk through the room and found a set of stairs. Sam followed her up the stairs and stopped cold. What they were seeing was almost exactly like the upstairs hallway at Bobby's house.

They gave each other wary looks before moving down the hall to an all too familiar door. Pushing it open, they saw the room they had shared at Bobby's house. It was the room that had belonged to Alex when the old hunter first took her in, and it was the room she and Sam had shared on many an occasion, far more than her father realized.

After looking around upstairs for a moment, they went back downstairs. Someone was waiting for them when they reached the landing.

"Chuck?" Sam asked.

"Hey guys." Alex moved forward and game him a hug. "I take it you like the place?"

"Where are we?" asked Alex.

"Heaven?"

Sam took a step forward pulled Alex against him. Everyone got their own Heaven; that he remembered from his last trip upstairs. He wasn't sure who's they were in at the moment, but he didn't intend to part from his love ever again. "How did we get here?"

"Yeah," Alex jumped in. "We were supposed to be in Hell. What happened?"

"Let's just say that you have a friend in very high places."

"Wait," a thought had just occurred to her. "If you're here, then that means…."

Chuck laughed. "Oh no no. I'm perfectly fine. Just decided that it was time to go home."

The duo stared at him for a minute. Alex's eyes grew wide. She remembered the sense of calm that came over her the last time he has spoken to her and how she heard him speaking in her head during her final moments on Earth. She took a good look at the prophet dressed all in white before her. That's when she knew he wasn't a prophet at all. "You . . . you're…"

"Yes, Alexandra. I am."

"Why didn't you ever say anything?"

"Would you have believed me?"

"No," Alex said with a chuckle. "So what do we call you now?"

"Chuck is fine. I like it."

"Alright," said Sam. He was completely lost. "What's going on? Why are you here?"

"I just wanted to say hi and make sure you got settled in okay?" Sam looked at him in confusion. "This place is yours."

"Which one of ours?" asked Sam. "If this is Heaven, we all get our own space right?"

"Yes, but you two are special. Look around. This should be all look familiar to you."

Sam and Alex began to look around the room again. Only this time they really looked. What Chuck said was true. The cabin was a combination of all of their favorite places. The living room was the one they had spent Christmas in after facing the anti-clause, only there was a lot better entertainment center. The kitchen was from a little place they had spent Thanksgiving in while Dean was in Hell. The memory brought a smile to Alex's face. Sam had been insistent on moving on, but Alex had stolen the keys to the Impala and surprised him with a full-on turkey feast. They had forgotten everything for that brief moment in time and just enjoyed being together. There was one spot Sam didn't immediately recognize.

A single step lead to an empty wooden floor. There was a railing along the edge closest to the living room. A jukebox sat against one wall. Nothing else filled the space. Alex smiled as the pieces fell into place.

"Thanks Chuck," she said. He nodded at her. "Will we see you again?"

He merely shrugged before fading into white smoke. Sam stumbled backwards. "What just happened?" Alex laughed.

"I'll explain it to you later." She smiled up at Sam. "But first," she took his hand and started to lead him towards the lowered floor. Dropping his hand, she moved over to the jukebox and made her selection. When the all too familiar sounds of Tim and Faith filled the air, she turned back to Sam with a smile.

His brow knit together as he put together the pieces. "Is . . . is this the floor?"

"The one we first danced together on? Yeah I think so."

Sam smiled. "Same song too."

His smile was mirrored on Alex's face as she walked towards him. "Care to dance?"

He didn't say a word. He just pulled her into his arms and began moving them to the music. Everything was perfect. True, he was going to miss his brother, but there was nothing he could do about that at the moment. What he could do was enjoy this perfect moment. The girl of his dreams was in his arms for good. They had literally been to Hell and back and were now standing in their dream home. After all, what was a dream home other than the place that holds your fondest memories. Everything was perfect.

"I love you."

"I love you too, Sam."

The couple shared a loving kiss, knowing that once and for all they could just relax and be happy with their other half, their soul mate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who read this story. It was the first I ever wrote. It's a few years old, but I'm just as proud of it now as I was then. Thanks again for reading.
> 
> Please leave kudos and comments.


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